by Knowledge Adventure
Platform:
Windows Vista / XP
(8)Buy new:
6 used & new from $9.99
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This program actually does what the title says it does... lets kids try out their math skills in a "real" context. After signing in, they join a band and go on a ten city road tour across the USA. Along the way, they have to solve practical math problems, for instance, purchase band equipment with the right amount of cash, while making sure that the band members have food to eat and gas in the tank. Depending on how problems are dealt with, money is added or subtracted from kids' savings. If funds run out, their tour ends. As players fill up their piggy banks, they can purchase scenes at the recording studio. In order to win the game, kids must create a 10 scene music video. Our test kids thought the whole premise was really fun. They loved the goofy characters and the road-trip theme and found the math problems to be challenging and interesting. The problems, which start out easy and get progressively more difficult, often involve several steps, really getting kids to use their heads. For example, to make a poster for an upcoming concert, kids have to figure out the total number of inches needed for the frame, given its height and width. In another situation, they have to use their addition and estimation skills to get the band across a river on a ferry, given certain weight restrictions. There are 4000 problems in all and testers' complaints were few. Some had trouble completing the maze required to get gas, for instance. An onscreen reference book provides help, but even more assistance would have been nice. Overall, however, the program offers a fun and practical way to apply a wide range of math skills.
Teaches: math, fractions, decimals, time, money, charts, measurement
Age Range: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Copyright © 2000 Children's Software Revue
Hit the road with your cool new band and discover how much math plays a part in everyday life! Build key math skills as you manage money, buy food, use maps and more to help your band climb the charts. With Math for the Real World you can master all the math skills you need to succeed in real life!