Frequently asked questions
These pages are available in English and Italian; the application itself is currently in English.
The answers below describe what MathButFun does today. Features that are announced but not yet available are named as such.
What language is the application in?
These in-depth pages are available in English and Italian, but the application in which the exercises are done is available in English only. The numbers and the operations are of course the same; it is the controls and the settings that are in English.
Can MathButFun be used without registering?
Yes. As a guest you can practise without creating an account, within a daily limit on the number of tests. Guest results are not saved.
Is MathButFun free?
Starting is free and needs no account. Guests and free accounts have a daily limit on tests; an optional paid subscription removes that limit. From the moment you register you have two weeks of free trial with all features available.
Which exercise types are available?
At present Integers, Fractions and Decimals, with more to come. Each allows addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Can a single operation be practised on its own?
Yes. You can choose one or more of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, or a random mix of them.
How many questions does a test have?
From 1 to 15, chosen before starting. Some digit combinations lower the maximum, because there are not enough distinct questions to fill a longer test without repeating.
Can the time limit be changed?
Yes. The time is set in minutes and seconds before starting, and runs as a countdown across the whole test, not per question.
Are the questions always different?
Yes. Every test is generated when it starts, from the settings of the moment, rather than drawn from a fixed list.
How do you answer?
By typing on a keypad suited to the exercise type, or by choosing from several options. The number of options is configurable when multiple choice is used.
Can a comma be used as the decimal separator?
Yes. Each registered account keeps a separator preference, so decimal answers can be entered with either a comma or a point.
Does a fraction have to be simplified to be correct?
No. A fraction that is right but not simplified is marked as correct, and flagged separately in the results as not simplified.
What does the results screen show?
The score and the accuracy, then every question with the answer given, the correct one and the time taken.
Are results saved?
For registered users, yes: results are kept and can be reviewed on the statistics page. Guest results are not.
What does registering add?
Saved results and personal statistics, a profile, and the ability to create challenges and join those shared by others.
How do challenges work?
A registered user can create a challenge and share it, or join a challenge created by someone else. Challenges are how one same set of questions, with the same parameters, gets played by several people, producing a ranking at the end based on the number of correct answers and the time taken. Challenges can also be exported as a PDF, to be done on paper rather than on the device.
Does MathButFun show the steps of the solution?
No. MathButFun says whether each answer was correct and shows the right one.
Does MathButFun follow a specific school curriculum?
No. MathButFun is neither aligned to nor certified against any national curriculum. It is the adult or the learner who chooses settings suited to the child's level.