Twolittleboys Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I am thinking of getting this app but I am not quite sure what the difference between the 5+ and 12+ versions is. Do you need both? Should children start with the 5+ version? Is one better than another? I would really appreciate some info on this so I don't buy the wrong one/waste money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Here is a comparison chart between the two. I got both of them for my five year old (when he was 4) and he just bounces back and forth between them. He makes faster progress on the 5+ one, but when he gets frustrated with one of those levels he will often play around with the 12+ one for a while. Both of the apps introduce algebra from the beginning, but the 12+ introduces things a bit faster and eventually tackles more math operations (fractions, parentheses, etc). Hope that helps. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twolittleboys Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Here is a comparison chart between the two. I got both of them for my five year old (when he was 4) and he just bounces back and forth between them. He makes faster progress on the 5+ one, but when he gets frustrated with one of those levels he will often play around with the 12+ one for a while. Both of the apps introduce algebra from the beginning, but the 12+ introduces things a bit faster and eventually tackles more math operations (fractions, parentheses, etc). Hope that helps. Wendy Thanks! My son is already 12 so I am tending to the 12+ but I am just wondering whether this will move too fast/any prior algebra knowledge is needed? Also, it seems the game is quite short (reviews keep talking about playing it in a couple of hours). Is that true and if so is it still worth the money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks! My son is already 12 so I am tending to the 12+ but I am just wondering whether this will move too fast/any prior algebra knowledge is needed? Also, it seems the game is quite short (reviews keep talking about playing it in a couple of hours). Is that true and if so is it still worth the money? Well, the 5+ app has 200 levels that just cover algebra with the basic arithmetic operations, so each level is just a tiny bit harder than the previous one. The 12+ app has 350+ levels that start at the basic operations, but then proceed into more advanced topics, so the levels (especially the early levels) ramp up a bit more quickly. To the best of my knowledge, no prior algebra is needed for either app. In fact, already knowing some algebra could, IME, make the game a bit harder for a kid because instead of just immersing himself in the "rules" of the "game" he would be trying to simultaneously figure out how the game relates to paper and pencil algebra. Okay, I admit, this was my stumbling block when I first sat down with the app. My son had no issues with the puzzles, but I kept over thinking them!! You don't really have to worry about the app going "too fast", because your child will only move on once he has passed a level. I found the levels did a good job systematically introducing the concepts, but some of them are a bit tricky and the child may have to play around a bit and grapple with them for a while before they figure out how to successfully solve the level. This is one of the best parts in my mind. If a child spends an hour figuring out for himself how to deal with (a+c) in the numerator of a fraction, that is a better use of the time than hearing an hour's worth of lectures on ten times as many topics. I think the apps are well worth the money...but I have three young children who will be playing around with them for years to come. I played through both of the apps, and yes, it only took me a couple hours total. But, then again, I already knew algebra really, really well. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twolittleboys Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks so much for the detailed answer. I really appreciate it! I think I will go ahead and get the 12+ app. DS is pretty good in math so I don't know how much "play" he will get out of it but it certainly can't hurt (and he enjoyed the trial version). And you are right, my younger son can of course use it as well so it should be fine. Thanks again for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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