Duolingo has math now (and it’s kind of hard)

Image: Duolingo

That headline is correct. A companion app to teach you and children mathematics has been added to the language learning app.

The most pressing question is whether the owl is in the new app. The bird looks like it has been compressed into a cube. I'm not sure if it's still an owl in this new form factor. Since owls can't do math, a mascot reclassification wouldn't be a problem here. Don't wait anymore, come on now. This isn't a place of fantasy.

I am a person who has studied a number of languages through Duolingo, but who lost any natural affinity for mathematics once the letters got involved, so I am the ideal candidate to test out the math course. It's perfect. It's about where I'm at.

It is assumed that the field of higher mathematics that evaluates the effective diversity of point clouds is not referred to in this example. After I learn Rounding, I will find out.

As soon as I graduated from high school, I forgot how to do a lot of the multiplication topics. There is a progression of lessons that build on each other.

The experience of using the multiplication and division units is similar to that of the language app. The small ding that you hear when you get an answer correct is not the same as the small ding you hear in language courses. Less than two minutes is all it takes to complete the lessons. As you complete the lessons, you can see your circles filling up. You get a notification from the bird if you don't study as often as you should.

No two exercises are exactly the same. You can interact with a set of new words in a number of different ways, and the hope is that some of those exercises will help you memorize them. It looks like the approach to math is the same. You add three fours together, and then you match them to a picture of three blocks of four dots, and then you tap a block of four dots three times, and then you count by fours up to 12.

The app can recognize and convert typed text to typed text when you hand write the answer in a box. I can't support this feature because I got a question wrong multiple times. All of you are to blame for the fact that I have been writing "5" backwards. I should have been told by one of you.

The senior software engineer who built most of what you see in the new math program says there's no coincidence. Siegel, who was the only engineer on the project for most of the time, wanted to take the setup and exercises that have brought success in the language sphere and make them math.

There are a lot of different mechanics to keep people engaged. Siegel tells The Verge that they wanted to use everything they've learned from teaching language to apply it to another topic.

Siegel says that math is essential for our lives, whether it's calculating the tip on a check or modifying the portions in a recipe. There is a lot of math anxiety where people don't feel comfortable with their math skills. With a fun and engaging app, we can break it for people.

There are some differences between math and language learning.

The main hurdle I see is that the majority of people starting a Duolingo language, regardless of their age, can be assumed to be beginners by virtue of their use of the platform. Even though some people might be bored at the beginning, starting everyone with the basic alphabet seems like the right move.

One would think that math learners will have a lot of variable math knowledge. It is difficult to figure out where to start everyone since the material won't be easy to keep up with. There doesn't seem to be a comprehensive placement test for any of the units.

The courses will be based on age. There is one for elementary school students and one in the works for adults who want to brush up. Siegel mentioned that it would include harder numbers, like multi-digit multiplication, so I am too scared to try it. It will have to be a no from me for the sake of my pride.

The team is currently focused on the two courses they already have, but more levels, including some for high school, aren't out of the question.

The language app is good at helping me memorize brute-force words but less good at making me retain grammatical concepts long-term, which is a concern for me. In the language apps, I find myself repeating a single sentence over and over, which helps me remember it, but it doesn't mean I'm comfortable using the words in that sentence in other sentences.

There is a level of randomness in the numbers that show up in math exercises. Two people doing the same lesson side by side won't always be doing the same problems because of the constraints. I am on the lookout for funny numbers because I haven't seen any yet.

There is no part of the language app that is behind the paywall. Siegel says they want to make sure they reach product-market fit before thinking about monetization. It wasWhew.

I'm not an expert on math, learning, or any subject at this time. This was enjoyable to use.

While the material is aimed at younger people than me, I did find myself challenged in parts because I have a calculator on my phone. You have many things to look forward to. Some of the exercises put them a step above school on the fun scale. I can see how this would make me think about what I'm doing when I write a tip on a receipt.

You can join the alpha version of the app now, with a full launch coming later this year