The Column Subtraction 1.4 iPhone App

The Column Subtraction app allows you to teach and study the column subtraction method by solving random and custom subtraction problems.

Video

See a video of the Column Subtraction app

Easy to Use

The numbers are aligned automatically so that you can concentrate on solving the operations for each column. Pressing the borrow-button carries out borrowing which is animated step by step so you can see what happens. Borrowing over several columns is also supported.

After you solve the operation for each column the correct answer will fly to the right place. If the user presses the wrong button the answer will appear above the keyboard but it will not move.

Use random problems or input your own numbers

You can let the app pick the problems for you or you can input your own numbers.

25 Six-piece Jigsaw Puzzles

The puzzles are pictures of cute animals. Every time the user solves one addition problem, he will see one more piece of a six-piece picture puzzle.

To see all 25 complete puzzles the user has to solve about 200 column subtraction problems (Some pictures may appear twice before all different pictures have been shown).

The picture puzzle feature can be turned off and on at any time.

The App has the Following Features and Settings:

The number of numbers to subtract can be 2 or 3
Each number can have from 1 to 5 digits
Problems can be random or custom
The current operation for each column can be hidden
The operands of the current operation can be highlighted
Colors of the interface can be changed
The speed of the animations can be set
25 6-piece jigsaw puzzles of animals
The jigsaw puzzles can be hidden

Feedback and Requests for New Features

Please give feedback about this program.

Review by professor Tim Pelton

Tim Pelton, assistant professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Victoria:

"As a parent I like the potential that this Column Subtraction app has to help my child to master the traditional subtraction algorithm, but I have some caveats and suggestions to add to my recommendation. I urge you (parents/tutors/teachers) to support your children as they use this app and confirm that your child is understanding the process, that they are able to efficiently estimate and check the results and that they are able to visualize an appropriate context for the mathematical expression."

Read the whole review: 'Column Subtraction'

My other apps

My other mathematics apps include Long Multiplication, Long Division and Column Addition, Fraction Math etc..

Availability

The app can be purchased and downloaded from the iTunes App Store in 90 countries. The apps work in all iPhones and iPod Touces ever made (with iPhone OS 3.0 or newer) and also in the new iPads.

Feedback and New Features

Different children and adults have different methods of learning and I’m sure that users of this program can think of new features or changes to current features. In that case, please give feedback about this program.