Maths Part 1

ZX Computing

James Walsh

NOT SO BORING AFTER ALL James Walsh turns from aliens to alkalis and acids. In Loughton, James Walsh turns reluctantly from studying to check out other O Level programs. So you've come to the time when Mum and Dad think you've been spending too much time lately zapping aliens, killing monsters and basically defending the world from those phantom inverse asterisks and black blobs which are supposed to be the latest galaxian hyperspace-craft. It is about time you got on with the old school work. But wait! Next year when you're studying for the exams, you can tell Mum your latest program is actually teaching you. As far as a lot of people are concerned an educational program consists of flashing a couple of random numbers up on the screen and asking for the answer. But to dispel this awful myth, I shall now look as three 16K cassettes written to help you pass O Level Chemistry and Maths. I'll start by looking at the Maths programs. The two cassettes I have for O Level Maths are: SCISOFT, Maths Part 1 (Part 2 not yet available) which costs £5.00; and Rose Cassettes, GCE O Level Maths, £4.50. SCISOFT Maths comes complete with a 13 page manual. Only the first two pages are dedicated to the actual programs; the rest are revision notes. The cassette itself holds four 16K programs, all of which loaded the first time. The first program is called REVISION and starts off by asking you how long it is until your exams, as follows: More than 6 months 3-6 months 2-3 months One month The Big Day When you've picked your particular situation, it gives you ten pages of reasonably useful advice on how to revise, and in the case of The Big Day, helps prepare you for the examination itself. The minor bit I do object to is that on one frame it tells you that for a 'few' weeks prior to the exam you should have no social life whatsoever (sounds like a certain teacher I know). Apart from that, it gives a fair deal of very good advice. The remaining three programs give you two questions on each of five basic question types. Though the questions are the same each run, the data is randomly generated. If you get the answer wrong, it just gives the correct answer without any explanation. The final screen (alias The Progress Report) shows you score, and a pretty representation of the word PASS, being overwritten to a certain degree by the word FAIL. Though I feel that in some ways this is a good product, the computer isn't used to the fullest. For example, in the first program it would have been cheaper to put the information in the manual. I must admit I do like the idea of the pre-written notes. On minor factor which annoyed me was that every time a key was pressed to change screens the screen flickered. This is due to the fact that PAUSE was used rather than a FOR/NEXT loop when the computer was to wait. OK, I thought, this must be to make it compatible with a new ROM ZX80; but no - it is advertised solely as a ZX81 product! The second package I am going to look at is called GCE O Level Maths, developed and distributed by Rose Cassettes. Again, the whole lot is contained on one cassette, three programs in all. Unlike the SCISOFT cassette, all three have been recorded on both sides in case one copy is damaged, but I found that all three loaded first time. The only literature which comes with this is a small leaflet with about seven and a bit lines on how to load the programs printed inside the cassette case. Personally, I don't think this is much of any problem as you don't really need much of an explanation anyway. The first program is more of a lessons program, with a choice of six subjects. For each subject, you get screensful of explanation, one step-by-step example plus an exercise for you to do with random data so you can repeat it over and over again. The examples and explanations are well-written and are quite enjoyable to use. The later two programs are timed multiple choice questions with ten questions per test. The nice thing about these are that not only do you have random data, but there is a choice of 30 different questions, rather than just the one. COMPARING THE TWO: I feel that the Rose cassette makes far better use of the 16K RAM and concentrates far more on the questions and explanations than on pictures, which are hardly necessary. I liked the informal flavour of the Rose cassettes, as they do not talk down to you at all. So far as the actual cassette is concerned, the Rose cassette is better produced than the SCISOFT one, but lacks any real instructions. CONCLUSION Although both these cassettes are good value for money, I feel that the Rose cassette comes out better and at a lower price. I would like to see SCISOFT's Part 2 when it comes out as it may fill the gap Part 1 leaves behind. It is interesting to note that in may respects, educational programs have seemed to many people to have been the black sheep of computer programs. The idea of educational programs seems to bring most ZX owners to a state of the yawns if this is your view (as it once was mine), then you are in for a pleasant surprise. Subjects such as Chemistry and Biology don't really lend themselves to computerisation as easily as do subjects such as Maths, but the author of this program has got around the problem and made the whole process of learning or revising Chemistry more interesting... and almost fun. The cassette holds two programs on each side, and each program needs 16K. The title list reads: 1 - elements, compounds, mixtures an separations 2 - structure, bonding and properties 3 - redox, eletrolysis, and the activity series 4 - acids,bases and salts For each program, the title will appear immediately after it has loaded, and ask you whether you want tutorial or test mode. In 'tutorial', it prints out two statements, and then asks you whether or not you think either one is true of false. If you decide that both statements are true, it then asks you whether the second one is a complete explanation of the first. The program will then tell you, one by one, whether or not you have the answer correct. At each stage it gives you the option of an explanation. It will give you ten pairs of statements for each program, and give you a score, as well as advice, at the end of each program. In 'test' mode, the same thing happens, but as if it were a test, without explanations. I was studying for O Level Chemistry myself when reviewing this program, and found the questions interesting information and set out in such a way that I could actually enjoy going through them one by one. The explanations are concise and to the point and easy to understand. The whole set of programs is so well thought out, planned and produced that it is like a breath of fresh air in comparison to the numerous text books I have slogged through during the last few years. I am very pleased to say that I can find very little apart from praise for this set of programs. There is only one matter which I would like all producers of education software to consider. If they want to penetrate the schools (which I presume they do), then it is necessary to enclose teachers' notes with programs. It may be true that the program, as in this case, only really needs the instructions on the inside of the cassette box, but most teachers would be daunted and discouraged by just a simple cassette (they haven't had the advantage of months of zapping aliens as we have had). We must remember that very few teachers, or many adults for that matter, really know much about computers. It is also important for the teacher to be able to plan how to use a computer program as part of their normal teaching plan. Though CALPAC do not supply any separate literature, I hope they will bear my suggestions in mind for the future. CONCLUSION I would recommend this as an excellent supplement to the text book and as an invaluable revision aid to any fifth, fourth or particularly able third year student. O Level CSE Chemistry is available from CALPAC Computer Software, J.J. Warren, Hermitage Woods Crescent, St Johns, WOKING, Surrey GU21 1UF, for €4.95. If you're using ZX81s in your school let us know, and send us a photograph of the computer in use, naming everyone in the photo. Tell us what uses you've found for the ZX computers in educational situations so we can share your ideas with others. If you market educational software for ZX computers, we would like to review it in a forthcoming issue of ZX Computing. Our aim is to have the software reviewed by students actually studying the subject concerned, at the level for which the software is designed. This will ensure that the fairest and most useful review possible is achieved. Just send information on educational uses of the ZX computers, or software for review, to Education, ZX Computing, [redacted].