Quick Tour of
Math Skill Builders: Whole Number Arithmetic

If you want Math Skill Builders to identify your best starting level in each operation, save your work, and automatically advance you to higher levels in all the activities, then follow these steps:

1. Start the program.

Open the Math Skill Builders folder. Double-click the MSB icon on your hard drive. After the startup screen shows briefly, a box appears that asks you to choose Returning Student or New Student. Click New Student, then type your name. The main window of Math Skill Builders appears. Here you can see example problems, choose activities, and make choices from the menu bar to use all the features of the program.

2. Choose an arithmetic operation.

The program starts with addition. To choose a different operation, click the button with the name of the operation at the main window.

3. Identify your entry skill level in Diagnosis.

Click the Diagnosis button at the main window. Diagnosis tests your arithmetic skills. Answer every problem. When you complete Diagnosis, a box appears that shows you your current skill level for the chosen operation.

4. Watch demonstrations of how to solve problems in Tutor.

Click the Tutor button at the main window. Click the Start Demonstration button or the Single Step button to see the program solve problems step by step. Click the Another Problem button for new problems.

5. Solve problems at your skill level in Practice.

Click the Practice button at the main window. Practice gives you problems to solve. Answer each problem. Practice tells whether your answers are right or wrong. When you finish, Practice shows your score.

6. Solve problems away from the computer with Assignment.

Choose Assignment at the main window to have homework. Assignment prints a set of problems at your skill level. Check your answers later with Check Assignment .

7. Advance through the skill levels.

The program automatically changes your skill levels in Practice and Diagnosis. If you answer enough problems right, you advance to the next skill level. If you answer too many problems wrong, you go back a skill level. If you have trouble answering problems right, go back to Tutor to see how to solve the problems.

8. Progress through the operations.

When you finish all the skills in an operation, you automatically advance to the next operation. The program advances in this order: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. If you want to work on different operations, Math Skill Builders keeps records for all four operations.

9. Keep track of your progress.

Choose Reports from the Menu Bar to see progress reports. Choose Status,
Score , or Time , to see records of your work in diagnosis, practice, and assignments.

10. Individualize your learning environment.

Choose Options from the Menu Bar. Set the number of problems in the activities, the choices available at the main screen, the rules for progressing, timing, and whether the program guides you through problem solving.

11. Stop running the program.

Pull down the File menu. Choose Quit.