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Allison Taylor

Who Says Studying Has to Be Boring?

December 11, 2013 —
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It wasn’t all that long ago that I was in high school—and I can still remember that looming dread of mid-terms that comes around this time of year. Getting a head start on studying may seem impossible, but Wolfram|Alpha has plenty of ways to make it a little easier!

You may already be aware that Wolfram|Alpha is a goldmine of information, from truckloads of data to enlightening conversation. But if there’s anything we can all agree on, it’s that Wolfram|Alpha is seriously good at all areas of math–including the math you’re studying right now! In fact, you may not even realize that this knowledge engine does much more than help you get answers; it’s a fantastic study reference, too.

Not sure how to go about fitting data to a curve in statistics? Let Wolfram|Alpha show you how it can be done:

fit {20.9, 23.2, 26.2, 26.4, 16.3, -12.2, -60.6, -128.9}

Or perhaps you’re stuck memorizing three-dimensional geometrical properties–what do they look like and what are the equations? Wolfram|Alpha has endless information for you:

hyperboloid
hyperboloid
hyperboloid

Maybe you just need to remember how to go between factoring and expanding expressions:

factor 2x^5 - 19x^4 + 58x^3 - 67x^2 + 56x - 48

expand (2 x-3) (x-4)^2 (x^2+1)

No need for a specific problem or equation, either–you can also look up any detailed mathematical definitions you need, from number theory, to linear algebra, to the infamous quadratic equation.

What is the definition of a prime number

What is a unitary matrix?

quadratic formula definition

And don’t be afraid to talk to Wolfram|Alpha in natural language if you’re not sure how to write it out with math and symbols:

Where is the maximum of x times (one minus x) times e

Better yet, Wolfram|Alpha can understand word problems, too!

If Alice picks 10 apples and Bob picks 15 apples, how many do they have total?

And how about science? Chemistry? Do you need to know the structure and properties of chemical compounds? (Don’t forget to click “Step-by-step” if you’ve got Wolfram|Alpha Pro to see how it’s done!)

C6H5COOH

Same goes for balancing chemical equations!

Octane + O2 to water + CO2

Additionally, with Wolfram|Alpha Pro you can get Step-by-step solutions to every query you make, as well as interactive graphics and unlimited access to practice problems through the Wolfram Problem Generator. Subscribe today and get three months free!

Good luck studying!

1 Comment

Cool. 🙂

Posted by bob surely January 13, 2015 at 5:46 pm