If you believe that students must be able to perform symbolic manipulation in a similar way that they can perform mental arithmetic, then ALGY 2 may be of interest to you. ALGY 2 is an environment which encourages experimentation and perseverance with symbolic manipulation.

Users simply write 'working' into ALGY 2 as they would on paper, no computer syntax is involved. ALGY 2 will then check the logic of the 'working' and provide immediate feedback to the user, pinpointing in which line of the working the error has been made. The user can then edit and recheck their working. ALGY 2 does not provide the answer for the student.

ALGY 2 is unique - no other software offers this capability. It may offer the most valuable application of CAS so far for the teaching and learning of symbolic manipulation.

A version of Algy 2 is available for CASIO ClassPad, OS 2.2 or later, and there is also a version available for Windows PCs.

Its development was prompted by the puzzling question of how CAS (Computer Algebra System) can be used fruitfully with young students, who are learning to think algebraically.

To view a summary of Algy's capabilities, download this booklet.

To learn how to load Algy into your ClassPad hand-held unit, watch this movie.