This mental math app should generally be reserved for students who want to be exceptionally quick at multi-digit mental math calculations. Most students will understandably reject this app. The app provides instructions to solve a variety of different types of multi-step addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and perfect square problems. The app does not provide general rules that can be used to solve problems; instead, the app gives rules that apply to specific types of problems such as adding two three-digit numbers that meet the criteria of abc+cba. Reading the rules will confuse most students, and the app simply provides too many rules for most students to remember. The app then provides a seemingly endless number of multiple choice practice problems following each rule, rather than distinct, manageable problem sets. When students make a mistake, only sometimes are they shown the steps to correctly solve the problem. Results are limited to the cumulative number of problems right, wrong and skipped and an overall level starting from "Beginner" and ending in "Master". This app is more likely to discourage and frustrate than improve mental math skills for the majority of students.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
• Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Has a free or trial version
• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
• Multiple users can save a profile
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can play without sound and not distract others
• Students can save work between sessions
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

• Abstract Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires multi-step mental math
• Students might need support with navigation
• Anxiety
• Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Gives negative feedback (red X's, buzzer)
• A player's success depends on speed
• Attention
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Flexible Thinking
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Students might need support with navigation
• Numerical Fluency
• Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
• A player's success depends on speed
• Requires multi-step mental math
• Organization
• Age inappropriate amount of work which could overwhelm or discourage students
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Students might need support with navigation
• Verbal Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Visual Discrimination
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Students might need support with navigation
• Working Memory
• Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires multi-step mental math
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Students might need support with navigation

Mencal is an app help you expand your ability to mentally solve math problems. All of us can do simple addition and subtraction of one or two digit numbers without a calculator.Now mencal is here to kick that ability into overdrive.

Mencal provides you with lessons and simple tricks to allow you to: work with three digit numbers; fractions of different styles regardless if you are adding them or subtracting them; and finding sums with multiplication and division. Then it will test you on your grasp and knowledge of the methods you've learned.

• Example:
- Same ten's digit,1's sum to 10
38×32=1216
①:Multiply tens place digit by itself plus 1
(3+1)×3=12
②:Add two zeros to the end of step①
12<—00=1200
③:Multiply the two one's digits together
8×2=16
④:Add the results of step ②and③
1200+16=1216

• Quickly Square:
- Square numbers made up of 1's
- Square numbers made up of 3's
- Square numbers in the 90's
- Square numbers ten`s digit is 0
- Square a number ending in 25
- Square numbers made up of 6's
- Square numbers made up of 9's
- Square a number ending in 1
- Square a number ending in 5
- Square a number ending in 9
- Square numbers in the 10's
- Square numbers in the 40's
- Square numbers in the 50's
- Square numbers in the 500's
- Square numbers in the 600's
- Square numbers in the 700's
- Square numbers in the 800's
- Square numbers in the 900's

•Standard:
- Same ten's digit, 1's sum is 10
- Same ten's digit, 1's sum isn`t 10
- Same 1's digit, ten's digits sum is 10
- Same 1's digit, ten's digits sum isn`t 10
- two-digit number ab×cc (a+b=10)
- ab×ccc.....c (a+b=10)
- Multiply by 11
- 2-digit number if 1's digit is 1
- 2-digit number if tens place digit is 1
- 2-digit number ×2-digit number(universal)
- Multiply differing by 5
- Multiply differing by 6
- Multiply differing by 7
- Multiply differing by 8
- Multiply differing by 9
- Multiply differing by 10
- Multiply two numbers that in the 90‘s
- Two-digit number like ab+ba
- Three-digit number like abc+cba
- Two fractions like 1/a+1/b
- Two fractions like (a-1)/a + (b-1)/b
- Sum of first n odd numbers
- Sum of first n even numbers
- Two-digit number like ab-ba
- Three-digit number like abc-cba
- m-n if m+n=100,1000,10000...
- Two fractions like 1/a-1/b
- Two fractions like c/a-c/b
- Two fractions like (a-1)/a-(b-1)/b
- Divide any number by 5
- Divide any number by 25
- Divide any number by 125
- Divide any 3-figure number by 9

"This app rocks!! Great for Math Team practice!" -by Bubba Smith
"Great app, make me feel less stupid" -by Howie_Serious
"Its a useful app for anyone who wants to know the numbers deeper" -by sjzbim
"It's a good app for both kids and sometimes even adults" -by Willwang

Love mencal or have a question? We would love to hear your feedback! Contact us anytime at instantcj@gmail.com