Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - A Scientific Calculator

Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - A Scientific Calculator

OK, this is just a “pass it along” post.  I just read a blog from Mr. Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers about a free calculator program offered by Microsoft.  I downloaded and installed the 64bit version and fired it up and…..

WOW!

This thing is amazing!  It does 2D and 3D graphing, derivatives and integrals, matrices and vectors, unit conversion, triangle solver and it even recognizes handwriting! Oh and it can add and subtract too!

What is really awesome about this program is its ability to show solution steps… yes I said it, solutions to problems are given!  I tried to solve basic algebra equations, derivatives, integrals and even using my own variables… all the solutions were correct and shown in an easy step by step manner.

Click on the pic to the left to see a screen shot of a solution to a basic algebra equation.

This would be extremely helpful for those students who need some extra help in learning how to solve equations.   This program even has an equation solver with equations form Physics, Chemistry, Exponents, Geometry and others!!  You just choose an equation, substitute in the known values and click solve!!

As Mr. Byrne stated, if you are 1:1 and don’t have the funds for TI-83’s or TI-84’s, this little program can easily replace them for……… FREE!

So go get Microsoft Mathematics 4.o – A Scientific Calculator, install and be amazed!!!

NOTE:  There is a math plugin for Word and ONE Note, though not as cool as MM4, it is very useful.  Here is the link:

Microsoft Mathematics Add-In for Word and OneNote

My Saga with SMART Notebook Document Writer

I am a huge fan of the SMART Notebook software from SMARTtech.  The software will work with any interactive whiteboard and it is very user friendly.  I have been using the software in my classroom for 3 years now and love it.  One of the “coolest” things you can do with this software is “print” anything you want to SMART Notebook.  Let’s say you have a PDF document that has a great picture of the human brain and you would love to be able to project it so all your students can see it and mark it all up using SMART Notebook.  No problem!  Go to “File – Print” and rather than printing to a “normal” printer, change the printer to “SMART Notebook Document Writer” and click print!  In moments, your PDF is magically “printed” to a new notebook!!  This will work with any program that you can print from.  Just change the printer to “SMART Notebook Document Writer” and watch the magic happen!!

I use this feature a lot!  Then, one day not to long ago…. tragedy happened.  When I would try to print to SMART Notebook, what I ended up with was a mess!  It appeared like the font was all wrong!  Look at the pics below:

The original PDF document:

What I got when I printed it to SMART Notebook:

As you can see it is not pretty.  After a few emails and a LOT of searching for a solution I almost gave up!  I thought to my self, “It worked before!?!?  Why does it not work now?!?!  What is different with my computer from August 2010 to December 2010?!?” I tried everything SMARTtech wanted me to do (make sure everything is up-to-date, remove and reinstall, try it on another computer, blah, blah, blah……) Then, late at night, it hits me…. What if it is not a SMARTtech problem but an Adobe problem? I have always used either Adobe Reader of Adobe Acrobat Pro to view PDFs, what if that was the issue? 

It was then that I remembered I had a PDF viewer on my PortableAPPs enabled USB drive.  I fired it up, loaded a PDF, printed to SMART Notebook, and crossed my fingers, toes and arms even though I really thought it wasn’t going to work.  And wouldn’t you know it? It worked perfectly!!!   Happiness and jubilations ran through me!!!  I knew I had to pass this on to other teachers, so I decided to find the PDF viewer I used.  It is called SumatraPDF .  I went to the website, found the download, installed it on my computer, and tried to print to SMART Notebook again.  Hitting the print button with complete confidence I was slapped in the face when it did not work!!  I got the same messed up font again!!?!  How is this?  It worked just minutes ago…. what is going on?!?!  After a brief “spaz out” moment (and a few words, because hey, it is getting late and I am tired) I took a closer look.  The version I downloaded was Version 1.2 and looking at my portable apps version it is Version 1.1!  OK, we are on to something here!!!

Back to the website, I found a link to download previous versions.  Clicked and “looky there”, Version 1.1!!  Downloaded it, installed it, fired it up, loaded the same PDF, print to SMART Notebook, and…….. Success and jubilations once again!!  It worked!!!

So, the only thing I can think might be happening is the PDF specification has “changed” and SMART Notebook has not “updated” it’s drivers. (NOTE: this is only my OPINION and in no way should this be taken as a derogatory remark about SMARTtech.  They are an awesome company and have high quality products and excellent customer service.)

In summary: if you are having problems using the SMART Notebook Document Writer follow the link below to get Version 1.1 of SumatraPDF and try it.  Hopefully it will work for you!

Sumatra PDF Version 1.1