50 Open Source Applications for Sci-Tech Education: Page 3

26. TTCalc

If you need to perform calculations with numbers that are too big for your regular calculator to handle, TTCalc can do the job for you. In addition to the usual arithmetic functions, it lets you use trigonometric functions, inverse trigonometric functions, hyperbolic functions, inverse hyperbolic functions, logical operators, logarithms, and more. Operating System: Windows.

27. TuxMath

For the junior set, this math game asks kids to save Tux the penguin's igloo by solving math problems. You can choose the type of problems, from simple number recognition up to multiplying and dividing both positive and negative numbers. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.

28. Maxima

This computer algebra system graphs in 2D and 3D and performs differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, and sets, lists, vectors, matrices, and tensors. Although it does have a bare-bones GUI for graphing, it runs best from the command line. Operating System: Windows, Linux, OS X.

29. Kig

Part of the KDE Education Suite, Kig allows you to draw geometric shapes for inclusion in other documents, or to measure and explore figures for a geometry class. (Note that in order to use Kig on Windows, you'll have to download KDE for Windows.) Operating System: Windows, Linux.

30. KBruch

For elementary students (and their parents who still struggle with fractions), KBruch attempts to make fractions fun with a series of games. It offers arithmetic, comparison, conversion, factorization and percentage exercises. (Note that in order to use KBruch on Windows, you'll have to download KDE for Windows.) Operating System: Windows, Linux.

31. GeoGebra

The award-winning math app combines tools for geometry, arithmetic, algebra, and calculus. It's not only useful for students, it also has a number of tools to help instructors create worksheets and other teaching aids suitable for all levels from elementary to university. Operating System: OS Independent.

32. Octave

Originally created for an undergraduate course on chemical reactor design, GNU's Octave is a high-level programming language for solving numerical computations. It can solve common numerical linear algebra problems, find the roots of nonlinear equations, integrate ordinary functions, manipulate polynomials in various ways, and integrate ordinary differential and differential-algebraic equations. Operating System: OS Windows, Linux, OS X.

Open Source: OpenCourseWare

This Web site contains links to free university-level courses from hundreds of colleges and universities around the world. Well-known U.S. members offering classes through the site include Johns Hopkins, MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, Notre Dame and 46 others. Operating System: OS Independent.

34. eduCommons

This content management system is designed to support OpenCourseWare free online classes available through the OCW Consortium and other sources. It's used by a number of organizations around the world, including Notre Dame, Novell, UMass, and others. Operating System: OS Independent.

35. Khan Academy

You may have seen Salman Khan's video tutorials on YouTube. He now offers his 1800+ videos and related exercises, many of which cover math and science topics, as an open-source Web app. Operating System: OS Independent.