First the difficulty level for the exercises must be selected by using the menu command 'Options/Preferences' (
Preferences
At the top you can enter the name of the learning person.
Further a level can be selected from the dialog list containing pre-defined difficulty levels. Arithmeticus uses the selected difficulty level as input for arranging the exercises and the work-sheets.
How to define difficulty levels is described more detailed in the section
Definition
difficulty
levels
Thus you can choose an evaluation file in which the success of the exercises is stored.
The evaluation possibilities are described exactly in the section
Evaluations
Definition
difficulty
levels
Using the menu command 'Options/Difficulty Levels' (
Difficulty
Levels
) or the Button 'Difficulty Levels' in the window 'Preferences' you can define new difficulty levels or update existing levels.
Updating existing levels
All levels defined so far are displayed in a listbox. The properties of the selected level are shown and can be updated.
The modifications become effective by pressing the button 'Update'. They get only persistent after pressing the button 'Save'.
Storing the modification of levels is recommended only if no did count yet. Otherwise the evaluations lose their force of expression.
Adding a new levels
You can insert a new difficulty level by writing a name that is not used yet in the field 'Caption'. Define the new level from the available options and press the button 'Insert'.
Deleting a levels
Select the level to be deleted in the listbox and press the button 'Delete'.
Options
Operators
This option defines wheter addition, subtraction, multiplication or division are practiced. It is possible to select several operators at the same time.
Number of operators
The number of operators can be varied between 1 (two terms) and 4 (five terms).
Parantheses
In all calculations appear parantheses. This option makes sense only if at least two operators are selected.
Positive numbers only
The result of the equation and the solution are always positive numbers.
Size of the range of numbers
The ranges of numbers of each term can be limited. The intermediate results can exceed this range of numbers however.
The session is limited by time (alternatively to the option ' number of functions ').
Number of exercises
The session is limited by the number of exercises (alternatively to the option ' time ').
Number of fails per exercise
Defines how many times a calculation can be failed by the user until a new exercise is gernerated.
Number of solutions per session
Determines how many times the solution may be called by the user .
Tips for instruction
In place of a generally defined difficulty levels you can use the name of a pupil also as the name of his level.
In this way the teacher can adapt the difficulty of the exercises very exactly and individually to the progress of the pupil. The stored evaluations permit constantly an outline of the learning progress.
Pre-defined difficulty levels
Level Operators Number of Operators Range Time/Exercises
1 + 1 20 10 Ex.
1 20 10 Ex.
3 * 1 20 10 Ex.
4 : 1 60 10 Ex.
* : 1 60 20 Ex.
6 + 2 30 5 Min.
2 30 5 Min.
8 * 2 20 5 Min.
9 : 2 240 5 Min.
10 +
2 40 10 Ex.
11 +
3 30 10 Ex.
12 +
4 30 10 Ex.
13 + * 2 30 20 Ex.
14 + : 2 120 20 Ex.
15 + * 2 20 20 Ex.
16 + : 2 240 10 Min.
17 +
* : 4 35 10 Min.
18 +
* : 4 32 5 Min.
Mental Arithmetic
Contents
After having selected a difficulty level you can start to practice the mental arithmetic. The menu 'New exercise' opens a new session (
Exercise
In the banner at the top there are the user's name and the difficulty level selected in the preferences displayed.
Directly below the exercise follows.
The unknown result is marked by a question mark and can be entered via the keyboard. After pressing 'return' the calculated number is checked and the success is shown in color of the traffic light.
By default the traffic light is on yellow. If an exercise is correctly solved it changes to green otherwise to red.
A mouse click or pressing any key leads to the next exercise or allows another try if the previous calcualation was wrong and the number of fails defined in the difficulty levels was not exceeded yet.
Pressing the button 'Solution' Arithmeticus supplies the correct solution to the exercise if the number of solution calls was not exceeded yet.
Pressing the button 'Number Series' (or via menu ' Help/Number Series') opens a window with
Number
Series
The button 'Learning program' opens the preferences where a new difficulty level can be selected.
The button 'Restart' aborts the current exercise and starts immedialtely a new exercise using the same difficulty level.
The intermediate status of the exercise is visible at any time by four columns and a clock:
1.Column (black): displays the number of exercises not yet solved or the remaining time (depending on the preferences)
2. Column (green): displays the number of correctly solved exercises
3. Column (red): displays the number of failed exercises
4. Column (blue): displays the number of solutions which may be still called
If a defined number of exercises is to be solved the clock displays the necessary time. If however somebody calculates against the clock the remaining time is represented.
The exercise can be aborted at any time by closing the window or pressing the button 'Restart'.
Number Series
Contents
The number series (
Number
series
) facilitate the mental arithmetic substantially and are particularly intended as support for the multiplication.
Nevertheless they can be used for the addition and subtraction. The division can be thought easily as the inverse of the multiplication.
At the top the number can be defined for which the series are represented.
Down on the right the operator can be defined.
The range of the second operand can be determined in the right listbox.
Evaluations
Contents
If all exercises are solved or if the time is over an evaluation window is opened immediately.
The evaluation is allways displayed for the pupil mentionend in the preferences.
If an evaluation file were determined the evaluation can be displayed at any time via the menu 'Evaluation'.
The buttons on the right above determine the definition and display of the y-axis (in per cent).
If the exercise is limited by time or the number of exercises then some analysis criteria are
naturally always 100%.
The last 25 exercises in temporally ascending order are displayed.
Below the graph the details of the individual exercises are pointed out. They always refer to the
exercise which is marked on the x-axis.
Of course evaluations can be printed via the menu 'File/Print'.
Work-Sheets
Contents
Arithmeticus supplies always new work-sheets. The menu command ' Work-Sheet/New Work-Sheet ' (
Work-Sheet
) opens a complete sheet with 24 exercises on one page. The sheets can be stored via the menu 'File/Save As' or printed out (menu ' File/Print').
Arithmeticus uses the definitions in the preferences (difficulty level) when creating a work-sheet.
The menu command 'Work-Sheet/Show Solutions' displays the appropriate solutions to each exercise.
Also you can store and print out the solution sheets.
Presentation of the exercises
Contents
Via the meu 'Options/Colors' (
Colors
) the user can adapt the display of the exercies.
Clicking on a colored box opens a color selection window.
(.txt)