Free educational resources are invaluable for students, parents, and educators seeking to supplement learning without incurring costs. For UK consumers interested in mathematics, several platforms offer a wealth of no-cost materials, including worksheets, video tutorials, and online practice activities. These resources cater to a range of ages and learning stages, from primary school to college entrance preparation. This article outlines the available free offerings from key platforms, detailing what is available, how to access it, and any associated eligibility or usage rules.
Key Platforms and Their Free Offerings
Several organisations and websites provide comprehensive, free mathematics resources. The information below is based solely on the provided source material, which focuses on educational platforms rather than consumer product samples.
MathPlanet
MathPlanet is a free, accessible platform for learning mathematics, offering high school math courses in Pre-algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. The educational material is focused on US high school maths, but the platform welcomes everybody to study with them. MathPlanet also provides practice tests for the SAT and ACT. The site includes puzzles, quizzes for college entrance exams, and a collection of old national exams. Matteboken, a resource on the site, is freely accessible and is also available in an Arabic language version.
MathPlanet is operated by Mattecentrum, a non-profit membership organisation founded in 2008 in Sweden. Mattecentrum's goal is to provide equal access to knowledge and increase interest and skills in mathematics and other STEM subjects. Through its network, Mattecentrum orchestrates complimentary math labs throughout Sweden, conducted within schools, libraries, and other venues across 24 different cities. Each month, over 3500 students nationwide receive personalised educational support from Mattecentrum's 450 active volunteers.
Mattecentrum also offers the following free resources: - Math labs for tutoring support - Math lab activities in 24 locations all over Sweden - Formelsamlingen.se, a digital compendium of formulas in mathematics, physics, and chemistry - Three YouTube channels featuring published math video lessons in both Swedish and English
To contact Mattecentrum, please send an email to: [email protected]. The platform is supported by donations, which can be made via a button on their website.
Math Mammoth and HomeschoolMath.net
Math Mammoth offers a wide range of free resources through its website and the associated HomeschoolMath.net. The primary free offering is a download of over 400 quality math worksheets and sample pages from Math Mammoth products (grades 1-9) and from Make It Real Learning activity workbooks (grades 4-12). These free worksheets are reproducible for classroom use under a single teacher.
Users can receive these free sample pages in three different ways: 1. By subscribing to a virtual email tour around Math Mammoth, which includes an initial email to download the gift of over 400 free worksheets and sample pages, followed by six other "TOURSTOP" emails explaining important things and commonly asked questions concerning the Math Mammoth curriculum. 2. By visiting the individual book pages at MathMammoth.com, where sample worksheets are available on the right sidebar for each book. However, subscribing gives the advantage of receiving all worksheets in one download instead of 300 individual downloads.
In addition to the sample pages, Math Mammoth provides: - TONS more free math worksheets: The website HomeschoolMath.net offers dozens of free worksheet generators that can be used to make hundreds of different kinds of math worksheets. The site contains worksheets organised both by grade levels and by topics, approximately for grades 1-8. - FREE assessment tests: The placement tests for Math Mammoth are very comprehensive and detailed and can be used as generic math assessment tests. - FREE math videos: There are TONS of math videos for grades 1-7, most of which match the lessons in the curriculum. - FREE online practice: A link on the website provides free online math games and practice activities for dozens of math topics. - Certificates of completion: Certificates of completion are available for download to give children for completing their grade levels (two versions are offered). - FREE printable activities: A separate website filled with printable animal-themed dot-to-dots for PreK-grade 3 children is available, created by the site founder's oldest daughter.
The free resources are promoted through a newsletter. Subscribers have the option to unsubscribe with one single click. Feedback from users, such as tutors and parents, indicates that the free samples and videos are helpful for improving understanding and skills in mathematics.
Just Math
Just Math presents itself as a go-to destination for all things math, offering a wealth of resources to explore and enhance the mathematical journey. The platform provides interactive tutorials, problem-solving strategies, engaging quizzes, and community forums, aiming to make math accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding for everyone. It is positioned as a resource for those who need help with math at school or for a test/quiz, promising the best tools to help users get better at math.
Accessing and Using Free Resources
Accessing these free resources typically involves visiting the respective websites. For MathPlanet and Just Math, users can directly browse and use the available materials. For Math Mammoth, users have multiple access points: they can download sample worksheets directly from book pages or subscribe to a newsletter to receive a bundled download of over 400 worksheets along with a guided tour of the curriculum.
The resources are designed for self-directed learning and supplementary use. They are not tied to specific geographic restrictions mentioned in the source material, making them accessible to UK-based users. However, it is important to note that the educational content on MathPlanet is focused on US high school maths, which may differ slightly from the UK curriculum. The other resources, such as Math Mammoth worksheets and Just Math tutorials, appear to cover fundamental mathematical concepts that are broadly applicable.
Considerations for UK Consumers
While these platforms offer free resources, UK consumers should be aware of the following points based on the provided information: - Curriculum Alignment: MathPlanet's content is explicitly focused on US high school maths. Users seeking resources aligned with the UK National Curriculum may need to cross-reference topics. - No Purchase Required: The free samples and worksheets from Math Mammoth are offered without any requirement for purchase, though the platform also sells full curriculum packages. - Data Privacy: Subscribing to newsletters, such as the one from Math Mammoth, involves providing an email address. Users should be aware of the privacy policies of these platforms, though the provided source material does not detail these policies. - Volunteer Support: For users in Sweden, Mattecentrum offers in-person math labs, which are free of charge. This service is not available in the UK.
Conclusion
For UK learners and educators seeking free mathematics resources, platforms like MathPlanet, Math Mammoth/HomeschoolMath.net, and Just Math provide substantial no-cost materials. These include worksheets, video tutorials, practice tests, and online games. Access is straightforward, primarily through direct website visits or newsletter subscriptions. While MathPlanet's content is tailored to the US curriculum, the fundamental mathematical concepts covered are universal. Users are encouraged to explore these resources to find materials that best suit their learning needs and curriculum requirements.