iOS Help ! Develop an Iphone Math Application.

[cthesky]

Hi everyone,

I need to develop an Iphone Mathematics Application. In this application, there are several Mathematics questions and have multiple choices for each question to let student choose the answer.

In this application, I need display Mathematics questions which involves some specific Mathematics notation. So far, I found that there is no have built in libarary in Iphone SDK that used to render Mathematics notation. So, I plan to load those Mathematics questions and answers as images and display them in view. But, I am not sure whether this is a correct way or not. So, anyone can tell me whether this is a proper way? I had attached a sample Mathematics question.

Is there anyone has any suggestion on develop an Iphone Math Application?

Any suggestions and comments are welcome.

Thanks.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Images will work, but I'd imagine it would be quite tedious to generate all the images and differentiate the files and tell which file goes with which equation and stuff.

I'm not aware of any open source libraries or anything, although I'm sure a developer would be willing to make a library for you if you pay them.

So you're probably going to have to write the code to position numbers, symbols, letters, and lines appropriately, yourself.

Yeah, images will work, but I imagine the result would be a shoddy application with limited use and take up a large portion of your HD.

 

[cthesky]

Images will work, but I'd imagine it would be quite tedious to generate all the images and differentiate the files and tell which file goes with which equation and stuff.

I'm not aware of any open source libraries or anything, although I'm sure a developer would be willing to make a library for you if you pay them.

So you're probably going to have to write the code to position numbers, symbols, letters, and lines appropriately, yourself.

Yeah, images will work, but I imagine the result would be a shoddy application with limited use and take up a large portion of your HD.

Yes, it will become quite tedious to prepare all the images especially when there are many number of questions.

I also found another way is using UIWebview and integrate with other component something like MathJax to display Mathematics questions. But I need apply some actions on some buttons for mathematics answers such as button a, b, c, next button to go to next question. I am not sure I can done all these by using UIWebview... Do you have any opinion on this?

Yes, it may become a shoddy application with limited use and used up a large portion of memory... Somemore, I am quite worry Apple will not accept this application...

Thanks for your reply.

 

[1458279]

One of the programming iPhone tutorials was done by a professor that created a calculator app. I don't remember all the details but you might start by looking at what's already out there on the app store and use that as an example.

However, if you not allowing the user to make up a math problem, only allowing them to select the correct answer to a math problem, then a picture of the problem and a few buttons to pick the answer from should do.

You could load a database with pictures and answers, then it's just an issue of displaying the pictures and waiting for a tap.

Kinda like eletronic flash cards...

 

[firewood]

I also found another way is using UIWebview and integrate with other component something like MathJax to display Mathematics questions. But I need apply some actions on some buttons for mathematics answers such as button a, b, c, next button to go to next question. I am not sure I can done all these by using UIWebview... Do you have any opinion on this?

You can put UIButtons next to or on top of UIWebviews.

 

[cthesky]

One of the programming iPhone tutorials was done by a professor that created a calculator app. I don't remember all the details but you might start by looking at what's already out there on the app store and use that as an example.

However, if you not allowing the user to make up a math problem, only allowing them to select the correct answer to a math problem, then a picture of the problem and a few buttons to pick the answer from should do.

You could load a database with pictures and answers, then it's just an issue of displaying the pictures and waiting for a tap.

Kinda like eletronic flash cards...

Thanks for your reply. Your suggestion really nice and helpful. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

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You can put UIButtons next to or on top of UIWebviews.

Ok. It seems can work. But do you think which method is more correct and easier? That is either display Math question and answer by using UIWebview or display them as images on view?

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Oats]

I suggest you look into LaTeX. You might be able to pull a LaTeX library into your app, or at least get some ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaTeX

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

You can accomplish a lot with unicode. Certainly subscripts and superscripts can be done that way. There are lots of math symbols among the unicode characters. You probably don't want to try to position individual characters but drawing strings shouldn't be too complicated.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

I suggest you look into LaTeX. You might be able to pull a LaTeX library into your app, or at least get some ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaTeX

I also would go this way as try; gives max flexibility.
It really depend on the complexity of your expression

 

[cthesky]

You can accomplish a lot with unicode. Certainly subscripts and superscripts can be done that way. There are lots of math symbols among the unicode characters. You probably don't want to try to position individual characters but drawing strings shouldn't be too complicated.

Yes, I just found that there are a lots of Math Symbols among Unicode Characters. But how about the division... Since I wish to display it as attached image below instead of 8/3.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[ianray]

Take a look at http://www.mathjax.org/ -- if a web view based solution would be appropriate for your case?