Using your Android tablet for Maths

For all you young mathematicians out there in the wide, green world all around, it might be a hassle keeping a notepad/scratchpad with you at all times. But why bother when you have the power of android, the versatile gift of Google, at your disposal? Like a genie awakened fresh from a lamp, Android can grant nearly all our wishes, if we carefully manage to 'ask it'. :)

Now, since this is a free world, and I am a supporter of free (not always open-source necessarily) software, I will be sticking to them only in my brief discussion of such apps.

Mathematical applications for Android are many in number. Ranging from simple graphing applications to scientific calculators, from diagram makers to flowchart apps, Android offers you a versatility of different choices. Here are a few applications I mention, which are extremely useful in boosting your productivity. Now on to the apps.

Graphing application: Graphing is very important, as is self-justifiable to all the students of higher mathematics. When I was younger, I did not understand the value of Coordinate geometry, of 'visualising' the equations, of generating new ones from given data, using graphs. But now that I am a student of higher mathematics, I depend heavily upon the processing capabilities of my android tablet. Many such apps exist, but I personally found Grapher to be the best one free out there. The app is straightforward, just enter your equation(s) and you get your nice graph. Zoom it with your fingers, in or out. Ranging from simple f(x)=x+4 graphs to much more complicated f(x)=log(cos(x^2))+arcsin(sqroot(x)), yout tablet makes the graph ready in no time. Grapher is available for free from the Google Play Store.

Scratchpads: Whiteboards, scratchpads or notepads are also indisposable when it comes to quick diagramming, making some visual contents with your thoughts, etc. Having tested many apps, I found Whiteboard to be one of the best. Even if you don't have a S-pen, you can have have your fingers and your brain's waves of static electricity to help you draw crude, but useful figures geometrically on your screen. You can save such drawings in your memory card, and review them later. Very useful in my opinion, if you're giving a demonstration before your students. So, instead of scratching your head, install this beautiful scratchpad right now if you wish. As a bonus, you also go green, by saving paper. :)

Voice Notes: Mathematicians and mathematics students, all of all are familiar with the concept of interstices or empty spaces in our lives, as Umberto Eco says. We always seem to have some free time between two tasks at hand, and some people among us manage to give rise to great ideas while on the move, having breakfast or even daydreaming about your dreamgirl. ;) As such, keeping track of such thoughts is essential. Writing them down, or even typing them, is troublesome. So, make use of the might of your microphone, and make yourself 'Audio Notes' in your own voice. For this purpose, the free app 'Voice Diary' is one of the best, in my opinion. If you can spare the space, you can store as many such 'notes' as possible. Once you say something into your device and attempt to save the file, you are given the option to give it a proper name. Thus, if you've managed to discover a revolutionary idea in the field of Definite Integrals, speak it into your device today, without losing time. Later, you can always test your argument, develop new logic based on it and write it down if you wish. From recording Math lectures to storing your own ideas, these simple apps can prove useful.

Flowcharting: If you're a heavy flowcharter like me, you can always use apps like DroidDia to plan your future ideas and their implementation with flowcharts and diagrams. DroidDia is an Android port of the Linux application Dia, which is a part of the Gnome Office suite. Although not very powerful in my opinion, and now very fast either, if you have the patience and skill with your fingers, adding a few neat flowcharts can't hurt.

Mathematical News: Mathematicians and mathematics students alike need to keep themselves updated with Maths news from around the world. And with the power of Internet and Android, that's no problem. Having tested many, many News applications, I find PulseNews one of the most versatile. It gives you the power to customise contents and choose your magazine-styled digital newspaper. You are given the option to choose your own 'packs' of newspapers, or develop new ones using search and drop feature. Remember, that with proper adjustments, it can be a valuable and indispensable ally in your Math career, or hobby.

Equation Solvers: These handy apps can help you solve a wide range of equations instantly, without doing the efforts yourself. EQSolve is one of the relatively useful ones I found for myself.

References: Math references are common, very common in your android play-store. But few of them are as feature-packed and versatile, as Math Ref Free. The paid version allows more examples, questions and topics, but the free versation is good too. Once you open it, you have a wide range of different choices such as Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Series and Sequences etc. Once your open a subcategory, you are greeted with an in-category menu, displaying Functions, Examples and so on. When you view an equation, if you touch it, you're even shown additional notes and examples on using it properly, and this is really an essential feature. You additionally get a table of Greek Alphabets, many important Physics facts and even some good handy tools such as Quadratic solver, Exponential solver, Circle solver, Angle Converter etc.
It isn't possible for us to remember each and every part of Mathematics distinctly, and as such we require the assistance of such apps. They can serve as memory aid in real-time.

Calculator: The default calculator in my device is good enough as a starting, and startling app. Most such default ones provide you with similar facilities, such as advanced functions like Sin(x), Arcsin(x), log(x), etc. and some many even integrate graphing capabilities. I admit I haven't tested much of these as I am quite contended with my default calculator.

Geometry: With apps like GeometryPad as your disposal, you've the power to create geometric figures and drawings right on your android device. Very useful for demonstration, or quick calculations when having a cup of tea at your table. I myself rely much on Whiteboard, but having it additionally can't hurt, if you can spare the space.

Notebook apps: I don't use anything specifically for maths for this purpose. With Evernote, you have eerything synchronized. And when it comes down to the cute android client, the guys have done the right job. Feed anything into it, and you'll get it right on the web or your desktop client.

Math games: Last but not the least, we have a wide range of math games for honing and whetting our quick calculation skills. Like TuxMath of Linux distros, there's an app called 'Math Workout', which does a similar thing. Playing a level of it once a day helps keep the edge of your blade sharp.

Remember that choices and tastes vary widely. So, you may find yourself dissatisfied with the list of the few apps I mentioned above. But well, like a democratic nation, the free (thank God!) Android community goes on improving itself through debates and discussions. Competitions are always at hand, and you are free to try out new apps to see if they work out for you.

Also, as for these free apps, please take a moment to give them a good rating if you find them helpful. It's the least we can do to express our gratitude to the hard-working folks developing them.