How To: Use Your iPhone's Camera to Solve Difficult Math Problems Instantly

Math homework isn't the easiest thing to get through quickly, no matter how prepared you are. Knowing your stuff simply won't cut it. Going through dozens of equations in one sitting could take up hours of your time. Even when you finish, there's always going to be that one problem you couldn't solve, which could take hours itself to finally get right.

Things just got easier, though. Way easier—and without the headache.

PhotoMath, from PhotoPay Limited, will solve all of your complicated mathematical problems for you. With the app open, just point your iPhone's camera at the problem and PhotoMath will solve it instantly for you. It'll even give you a step-by-step breakdown on the screen of how it was solved. No more will that one unsolved problem take up hours of your time!

Step 1: Position

After downloading PhotoMath, available for free from the iOS App Store, go through the short tutorial to learn how it works. It's as easy as pointing your camera and making sure that the entire equation is in the red frame.

Pro-Tip: Swipe your finger across the screen to change the size of the frame.

Step 2: Solve

As soon as PhotoMath recognizes the equation, it will show the results in a red box underneath it. Better yet, you can tap on "Steps" to view a breakdown of how the equation was solved, a necessary feature for helping you actually learn how to solve it, as opposed to simply getting the answer.

Note: PhotoMath only works with printed equations; handwritten equations will not be recognized.

Step 3: Learn

Tap on the arrows at the bottom of "Solving Steps" to go through the different steps of how the equation was solved. From the camera viewfinder, tap on the stacks icon on the far left to view all of your recently scanned equations, grouped together in a neat chronological order.

Although the application is amazingly accurate for certain equations, it won't help you out with your intricate calculus or the like. Currently, PhotoMath supports only basic arithmetic, fractions, decimals, linear equations, and a few functions (like logs), but is updated constantly.

So for all other equations that PhotoMath can't solve, you'll have to use that other thing.... your brain (and a scientific calculator).

Let us know how PhotoMath has helped with your studies in the comments below, or over on our Facebook or Twitter feed.