Algebra Tiles
Web Link: Algebra Tiles
Flexibility: Works for solving, substituting, expanding, and factoring with algebra tiles. Teachers cannot input the questions to be used or the types. Questions are auto-generated. Does not include the ability to use y or xy.
User Interfaces: Mouse and touchpad friendly. Touch works, but better on larger screens.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.
Web Link: Algebra Tiles
Flexibility: Open algebra tiles environment, will expand to the size of your screen. Ability to turn on tile labels (I.e. x, y, 1). A question can be inputted at the top of the screen to solve but must be inputted by the user. Using 2x + 3 = 4y + 6 -3 will result in mathematical formatting. Can input exponents using the ^ key. Questions cannot be pre-inputted. There are no background templates for expanding or factoring.
Very friendly and quick to use.
User Interfaces: Mouse, touchpad, and very touch friendly.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.
Web Link: Algebra Tiles Virtual Manipulative
Flexibility: Has positive and negative 1's, x's, and x squared. Can select three different templates, either blank, equation, or corner templates. The app does not resize for different screens adequately.
User Interfaces: Mouse and touchpad friendly. Works on touch devices, but the rotation symbol is hard to tap correctly and some of the buttons are hard to hit.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers
Web Link: Polypad – Virtual Manipulatives – Mathigon
Flexibility: Polypad has +1. -1. +x, -x, +x^2, -x^2 tiles that can be pulled out onto the canvas. It also has a grid background that can be turned on and a multiplication frame for algebra tiles. Tiles can be negated (flipped) and rotated as necessary There is a pen to write on the screen and a textbook to add text. There is no way to add mathematical notation, such as exponents, nicely to the grid unless using the pen. Canvases can be saved to the teacher's account and shared with a link to students.
User Interfaces: Mouse and touchpad friendly. Very touch-friendly.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.
Web Link: Algebra Tiles
Flexibility: This website has a number of small guides for working with algebra tiles. Each applet has several pre-programmed questions to help students learn how to use algebra tiles. The apps give feedback as the student attempts to solve the questions given. The apps cannot be used as a blank canvas, but are useful where little teacher feedback can be given.
User Interfaces: Mouse and touchpad friendly. Works with touch, but you will need to make slow gestures.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.
Web Link: Equation Solver (mathsbot.com)
Flexibility: This applet allows for students to change solve equations with algebra tiles. Once an equation has been set to equal, the applet recalls what x is equal to and will let the student know if an equation has become unequal. There are no options to undo what the student has done which means an unequal equation could be difficult to solve.
Very friendly and quick to use.
User Interfaces: Mouse, touchpad, and touch-friendly.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.
Web Link: Digital Algebra Tiles – GeoGebra
Flexibility: This applet allows for students to change two linear binomials and observe the effect on the resulting algebra tiles. Useful little applet for those struggling to work with multiplying polynomials. There are numerous Algebra Tile applets on GeoGebras that can be accessed here.
Very friendly and quick to use.
User Interfaces: Mouse, touchpad, and touch-friendly on some modern devices.
Browsers: Works with all major browsers.