In this blog post, we’ll review CalcChat, a “Free Easy Access Study Guide and Tutoring for Math Students.” Together with CalcView, it provides point-of-use tutorial help for math learners. Let’s look at what you can get from this free resource with ready solutions and tutoring.
What Is CalcChat?
CalcChat is an easy-access study guide with step-by-step solutions to odd-numbered exercises from textbooks by Ron Larson and live tutorial support.
Developed by Larson Texts, which specializes in a wide range of math education materials and textbooks from elementary school through college, CalcChat’s one of the company’s products, together with CalcView and Math Musicals.
CaclChat Information
| Name | CalcChat |
| Website address | www.calcchat.com |
| Login/Registration | Not required |
| Payment | Free |
| Company address | Larson Texts, Inc 1762 Norcross Road Erie, Pennsylvania 165101-800-530-2355 |
| support@calcchat.com |
CaclChat Features
- Free access to all Larson textbooks
- Live tutors
- Access via the CalcChat.com website and mobile apps
CalcChat for Teachers
Teachers can use CalcChat as a supplemental resource in class to provide additional explanations.
CalcChat for Students
It’s an easily-accessible tool for students struggling with mathematical concepts where they can get live tutorial help and worked-out solutions. It’s also a free resource they can use without the need to pay for a private math tutor or textbook solution subscription.
CaclChat Live Assistant
CalcChat assistant help is available for odd-numbered exercises only. Woking hours: 1 pm–4 pm ET in summer and 4 pm–12 am ET during the school year.
How to Use CalcChat
You don’t have to create an account to use CalcChat.
To start using it, select your book, then find the solution you need by filtering by chapter and section. For instance, this is what you get when you choose Chapter P, Section 1, Exercise 1 in CalcChat Calculus 8e:
Alternatively, you can make the CalcChat Calculus of a single variable 8e interface work better for you by zooming in or out the answer field:
You can also print the material by clicking on the printer icon:
Another example: If you need help with CalcChat 6e or try to get to terms with the tasks via CalcChat Calculus of a single variable 10e, choose the relevant title from the dropdown menu:
You can access CalcChat online via the website or iOS and Android CalcChat apps.
The steps are the same:
- Select your textbook and choose a chapter, section, and exercise.
- Download and view a chapter’s solutions offline.
- Alternatively, scan the QR codes in the selected Larson textbooks to view videos and worked-out solutions.
You can also join the CalcChat community on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to learn about the news and updates.
CalcView
Another way to go with your math studies is to get help from the CalcView video tutorials. CalcView is another Larson Texts product we’ve already mentioned. The resource provides 24/7 solutions to calculus exercises from the Larson textbooks in the form of videos where instructors go step-by-step explaining each problem. CalcView is as easy to use as CalcChat: select the book, filter by chapter, then by section. You can access the videos on the website, the CalcView iOS app, or the CalcView Android app.
How Much Does CalcChat Cost?
Access to CalcChat is free.
The resource has been providing help with math since 2010, and according to the information on the website, it’s served more than 6 million students up until now.
CalcChat Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Free – Easy navigation – Answers to all the odd-numbered exercises – Live assistance – No need to log in or register | – Solutions to Ron Larson textbooks only – Answers to the odd-numbered exercises only – Slightly outdated UI – Some students reported blurry problems and skipped steps (in the app) |
How Effective Is CalcChat?
CalcChat doesn’t have many reviews overall, so we’ve looked through the ones on the App Store and Google Play. Some students find it helpful for their math and calculus studies, while others mention inconsistencies and minor issues. With the scarcity of reviews, it’s hard to tell whether it’s really as good as it appears. Besides, the most recent reviews are from 2019 and 2020, so unfortunately, we can’t say anything about CalcChat’s popularity in the last two years. All in all, it looks like a great helping tool for math learners—but only for those who study a specific textbook.
Conclusion
CalcChat offers the free equivalent of a pretty expensive textbook solution (e.g., Chegg, Cengage). So if you’re using a Larson textbook in your math class, the CalcChat website and app will most likely be of help—even considering the presence of odd-numbered answers only and no CalcChat even answers. However, if you’re using another math textbook, CalcChat has no use at all.
