Jungle Maths

ZX Computing

James Walsh

ENOUGH TO SEND YOU UP A TREE James Walsh enters the numerical jungle. Come on, who are they trying to kid. Firstly what has the jungle got to do with maths, secondly, maths cannot be fun... can it? Well at least it is a little less mind bending than 'O' level chemistry or Undergraduate electronics. Jungle maths is written for 'Juniors and Remedials', presumably between the ages of about six and thirteen. The jungle idea is that you are situated in a graphically represented jungle and have to get back to base. If you get a question right then you move on one place. If you get it wrong you lose one of your five lives in one of four weird and wonderful ways. Each way is very well represented by some advanced moving graphics. If you take too long to answer the question, you see a full screen picture of "yourself" sink into quick-sand, and you lose a life. On side one you have addition and subtraction with these choices; whole numbers, decimals, minus values, time-limit, size of number. On side two there are multiplication and division with the same choices. CONCLUSION The documentation is good and gives the teacher quite a lot of help. Overall, this package is excellent. I have seen some educational packages on more expensive computers such as the MZ80K and the Apple and this is the first time I have seen a ZX81 educational program with graphics anywhere near as good. Personally my only reservation was that I was tempted to get answers wrong in order to see myself being eaten by piranhas or fall into a deep pit. Due to the versatility of the program and the number of choices, it can be used by anyone from the bright six-year-old to the remedial thirteen-year-old. Well done SCISOFT, this is very good indeed and I recommend it.