PhotoMath – Smart camera calculator • Hacker News Board

Re: PhotoMath – Smart camera calculator

#61

Post by delluminatus » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 6:22 PM UTC

vanderZwan wrote: post #52

delluminatus wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, isn't it basically a homework aid? While it's definitely cheaty, I can understand why it would appeal to kids who just want to get their homework done fast, or people who are stuck on exercises and want a hint.

The value of doing homework isn't measured in how fast you finish it: > This is like having an app run a marathon for me - it's easier, but I'm not changed through the work.

That analogy is misleading, because you don't have to run a marathon to get a high school diploma.

I'm not advocating that students use this to cheat on their homework. I'm just pointing out that most people reading an algebra textbook aren't in there for self-improvement. They just want a good grade.

Re: PhotoMath – Smart camera calculator

#62

Post by devinmontgomery » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 7:41 PM UTC

delluminatus wrote: post #61

vanderZwan wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The value of doing homework isn't measured in how fast you finish it: > This is like having an app run a marathon for me - it's easier, but I'm not changed through the work.

That analogy is misleading, because you don't have to run a marathon to get a high school diploma. I'm not advocating that students use this to cheat on their homework. I'm just pointing out that most people reading an algebra textbook aren't in there for self-improvement. They just want a good grade.

I think the impressiveness of what these guys made is the best argument for what a mistake that is. The effective 0% unemployment rate of engineers in SV shows what you get when you're not willing to be "bad at math." I know you're not advocating for that attitude, it just drives me nuts.

Re: PhotoMath – Smart camera calculator

#63

Post by mathteacher1729 » Thu, Oct 23, 2014, 11:46 AM UTC

IshKebab wrote: post #60

mathteacher1729 wrote: post #49

A colleague at my office gave it a test drive. * http://youtu.be/jDbTKgWoufw Results: As of now, it can only solve some linear equations. It did successfully solve one quadratic but it couldn't decide if the variable was r or e (the variable was x). It was largely unable to solve handwritten problems, even simple arithmetic. note: This is a copy/paste of a comment I left on reddit /r/math and /r/windowsphone.

I don't know why you'd expect it to solve hand-written problems. Handwriting recognition of text is barely solved, let alone maths.

Truthfully I did not know what to expect with regards to hand written problems. Out of curiosity, I wrote my very neatest and gave it a try and it solved one of them.