Math.com

More ads than math on this homework help site.

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About Our Ratings

Common Sense rates it

Seen the site?

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URL: http://www.math.com
Entertainment Value: Medium

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this homework helper could be a useful site for older students -- if it wasn't completely weighted down with ads and links to advertiser sites disguised as content. The really helpful math homework features include a whole page of different online math calculators and some fun games (some require quite a bit of reading before being able to play, which may be tough for younger kids). The store sells quality math books, CDs, DVDs, games, and other resources at for all skill levels.

Families can talk about the importance of math and finding fun ways to explore it. Also, if your older child or teen is interested in Web design, compare and contrast different sites and the use of ads on those sites. Why does an overkill of ads on sites like this exist? Is it effective? If your child wants to design a site someday, discuss better ways to build a really useful and attractive, yet profitable site.

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Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

A constant stream of ads runs through the entire site. Ads are so intermingled with content so it's difficult to navigate around them and get to the meat of the site. The store sells quality math books, CDs, DVDs, games, and other resources at for all skill levels.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Educational Value:

Some helpful math tools and interesting information and links to other sites about complex math, mathematicians, and fun math concepts, like fractals.

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Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Dana Villamagna

If your kid is having trouble figuring out any math problem from addition to advanced recursive formulas, MATH.COM is an OK place to start. The ad-centric, text-heavy site lays out a systematic approach with explanations, examples, and problems to solve.

Is it any good?

If only you could subtract the ads from Math.com and add more attractive design, you might have an excellent place for mid-level and older math students to learn a lot. But there are so many ads that it's almost impossible to know whether you're clicking into content or just another ad link. Some of the main tutorials on basic math concepts are good, but most of them lack any kind of interesting graphics or interactive elements to keep kids' attention. On the plus side, there are some interesting links to other sites with fun math concepts, like tessellations and fractals. The few interactive games are generally good, but basic, and some require quite a bit of reading before being able to play, which may be especially difficult for younger kids. Unfortunately, this isn't a site most kids will likely want to explore for long.