I think using iPads in the classroom is a great way to spark students’ interest and engage them in everyday activities.  Overall, most of the math apps that I found were more directed towards lower level mathematics, for use in elementary or middle school grade levels.  However, I wanted to find an application that I could actually use in a high school mathematics classroom that would improve learning and make it fun for students.

I found a great clinometer app, which allows the user to measure slope using percentages, rise over run, or degrees.  Clearly, this application could be used in several mathematics courses, from measuring slopes of lines in Algebra 1 to measuring angles in Geometry.

I particularly like this application for use in a problem solving activity I described for a Geometry class.  I could pose the question, “How high up is the score board in the Gym?”.  Clearly, this would be difficult to measure directly.  Using trigonometry, we can solve for the height.  Originally, I would have explained how to make a clinometer out of paper and string so that students could measure the angle of elevation.  However, using this app, we can skip the rote step-by-step process of making a clinometer and get to the important mathematics concepts.  Since we are using this awesome iPad app to solve a problem involving higher level mathematics, students would be more intrigued and excited to solve the problem.