homework help using your camera

How-To Geek

How to solve math problems using google lens.

Having trouble with a math problem? Google Lens can solve it with just a photo.

A calculator is a handy tool for solving math problems, but it can sometimes be a pain to type the equation. Google Lens can solve a problem simply by taking a photo. We'll show you how to use the feature.

Android devices can access Google Lens in a couple of different ways, depending on your phone. However, the universal method that works for Android , iPhone , and iPad is through the Google app.

Of course, the first thing you'll need is a math problem to solve. Google Lens can solve simple equations such as "5+2" or more complex formulas such as "x 2  - 3x + 2." You can scan the problem from a real-world piece of paper or from a digital display.

Open the "Google" app on your  Android  phone or tablet, iPhone , or  iPad . Tap the "Lens" icon from the right side of the search bar.

Next, swipe over to "Homework" in the bottom toolbar.

Point your device's camera at the math problem you want to solve, making sure the problem is inside the frame. Tap the "Shutter" button.

First, double-check that the question at the top of the card is correct. You can tap "Steps to Solve" to see the steps that were taken to get to the solution. The solution is shown at the bottom.

To scan a different problem from the same photo, tap the "T" icon above the solution card.

Next, tap the next solution you'd like to solve.

The solution will appear in the card below again.

If the Google response is not adequate or it can't find a solution, you can pull up on the card to reveal the full Google Search results with solutions from other sources.

That's it! Hopefully, you'll be able to find solutions to all your problems.

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How To : Solve Math Problems with Google Lens' Homework Mode

Since launching Google Lens as a a Pixel-exclusive feature in 2017, Google has not only expanded the availability of the tool to Android and iOS, but also built upon its functionality. Now, in addition to translator , tip calculator , personal shopper , and tour guide , Google has added math tutor to the job description for Google Lens.

Yes, with Homework mode, Google Lens can help you solve equations and learn math. And it arrives just in time, as many students in the US find themselves in remote learning situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Don't Miss: 8 Ways Google Lens Can Help You Be More Productive

Step 1: Access Google Lens

There are multiple ways to access this feature, but here's the best one. Open the Google Assistant by long-pressing your home button or swiping inward from one of the bottom corners. From there, press the Google Lens icon (to the left of the mic icon) and grant access to your camera if prompted.

If you have a Pixel smartphone, then Google Lens is built into your Camera app. When you open the Camera, tap More to access the additional camera features, where you'll find Lens.

Step 2: Enter Homework Mode

With Lens open, you'll notice that the camera view is constantly scanning what it sees. But, for the purpose of solving math problems, you'll want to select Homework mode from the ribbon menu at the bottom.

Step 3: Scan the Equation

Center the target brackets over the equation until Lens recognizes it and highlights it on the screen. Tap the equation, and Lens will analyze it. Lens can recognized typed or hand-written equations, though legibility can handicap the app's abilities for the latter.

Step 4: Solve & Learn

For simpler equations, Google will provide the steps to solve the problem as well as the solution. For more complex functions, Google will punt to other services from the web, such as Cymath, MathPapa, and Wolfram|Alpha.

You can also scroll further to find other resources, such as flashcards for similar problems from Quizlet and key concept explanations. Homework mode isn't as helpful for solving word problems, however, the hive mind of Google does provide resources from across the web for these exercises as well.

Who needs a wand? Unlock your magical powers and transform yourself from a Muggle into a Wizard or Witch just by using your Android phone. See how:

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Google Will Solve Your Kids' Math Homework. That's a Good Thing.

Here's the perfect tool for the homeschooling era.

• The tool is powered by optical character recognition (OCR), which uses scanning and artificial intelligence.
• The ability to check work is a gamechanger for families facing emergency homeschooling.

Google has announced a new technology, powered by an acquisition called Socratic, that will let students take photos of their math homework in order to get the solutions. Google says it wants the Lens-powered technology to help parents and caretakers who are homeschooling, likely for the first time, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Google's search engine is already crammed with autosuggestions that you can tell are seeking homework answers. When you search for a classic novel, the related searches are always things like “Darcy house name” or “Meaning of dance scene.” Math is harder to Google because of the array of symbols the average person doesn’t know how to type, and people’s math anxiety to begin with makes it more difficult to measuredly seek out what they need.

➡ You love numbers. So do we. Let's nerd out over numbers together.

The specific Google Lens integration doesn’t have a set release date, but Socratic is already available for people to download and use. Using Socratic, students can examine a variety of different subjects, but the robust math functionality really stands out—and took six more months to develop . The app uses artificial intelligence to recommend more and more relevant resources and tutorials to students.

Socratic uses optical character recognition (OCR), whose scope begins with simple scanning of documents using letter “patterns.” Older OCR users may remember the days when “cl” often became “d,” for example, and cheaper or more primitive OCR can still conflate characters this way. More advanced OCR began to consider the same factors as spellcheck or grammar check, using context of entire words or phrases.

Several layers of functionality are happening when a photograph of handwritten math homework is turned into a solution or a resource list. Without peeking behind the scenes of Socratic in particular, we can still explore what’s going on using generalized logic from computing and programming.

First, the OCR is turning handwriting into digitized content—that means addressing a squashed or tilted addition sign, for example, and recognizing that the common “x” used for multiplication by lower level math students is an operator, not a letter or algebra “x.” Then the software must store each part of the mathematical phrase as a separate variable that can be acted on.

In many languages, numbers are “primitive” variables, to use the programming term. Basically, the number can be directly stored as itself without requiring an intermediary bookmark, compared with what’s next: storing the idea of an addition operator. (This is very simplified, and some languages choose to store numbers another way. Large numbers are also handled differently from small ones.)

Once all the pieces are considered separate and usable, the programming must do the intended math to get the correct answer and compare that back to what your photograph actually depicts. Even calculators have surprising computing ability in the form of things like order of operations, but for a long time this was not a given. Today, the absolute cheapest calculator you can buy can do square roots and even store values for you .

If you can't believe Google will just do your kids' homework for them, then you haven't been paying attention to how children have used Google for at least 15 years, let alone graphing calculators that have had capacity to solve at least some functions since 1998 . But adding robust technique and tutorial support is a great new angle that should hopefully help parents and tutors feel empowered to walk kids through any math problems they encounter.

Caroline Delbert is a writer, avid reader, and contributing editor at Pop Mech. She's also an enthusiast of just about everything. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy of it all. 

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Google Lens Can Now Help With Math and Science Problems

Google Lens homework help is here and it's a game-changer when you want to solve math and science problems.

Google is looking to help children and parents get ready for a whole new form of school when education resumes in the coming months. The company announced a slew of new educational tools and features on The Keyword .

While all the changes seem useful, the one that really stands out from the crowd is the update to Google Lens. It was already a useful tool, but Google is adding a new feature that will allow it to help with solving difficult math and science questions.

Google Lens Homework Help

The new Google Lens feature uses Socratic to allow students or parents to take a photo of a difficult problem and get help.

It's not just a tool that provides you with the answer, either (though it does give you the answer in the end). Instead, Google Lens and Socratic will provide step-by-step instructions to solve the problem. It'll also show helpful explainers that will help the student actually learn to solve the math or science equation. After all, the point isn't just to find out the answer, but to understand how to reach it yourself.

Google Lens is an awesome visual search tool that's becoming more useful as the company introduces new functionality to it. With this new homework feature, not only does it function as a cool way to find information, but it could be a game-changer for kids who struggle with difficult math problems.

For science, Google Lens will show graphics and explanations of the concept you're struggling with when it scans a question.

How to Use Google Lens for Homework Help

The feature is incredibly easy to use. To start with, you need to tap the graduation cap within Google Lens. From there, it'll prompt you to take a photo of the problem you need help with. Google Lens will highlight all of the equations or questions it sees, and you tap the one you're stuck on . Next, you'll have the option to copy the text, send it to your computer via Chrome, or edit the math equation.

Below those options is a Steps to Solve area. You can use this to learn how to solve the problem and ultimately find the answer to the question. This same method applies to both math and science questions, though the type of results will vary.

Get More Homework Help

Homework is hard. We've all struggled with various concepts in school throughout the years. Thankfully, the internet has made finding homework help much easier. Check out these Chrome extensions that will help with your homework for even more assistance.

Photomath AI

Features of photomath ai.

AI-Powered Problem Solver

The core feature is an advanced ai algorithm capable of solving a wide range of mathematical problems, from basic arithmetic to complex calculus equations..

Step-by-Step Explanations

For each solved problem, the tool provides detailed step-by-step explanations, helping users understand the process and learn how to solve similar problems on their own..

Handwriting Recognition

The tool can recognize handwritten problems, allowing users to take pictures of their handwritten math problems and receive instant solutions and explanations..

How To : Use Your iPhone's Camera to Solve Difficult Math Problems Instantly

Math homework isn't the easiest thing to get through quickly, no matter how prepared you are. Knowing your stuff simply won't cut it. Going through dozens of equations in one sitting could take up hours of your time. Even when you finish, there's always going to be that one problem you couldn't solve, which could take hours itself to finally get right.

Things just got easier, though. Way easier—and without the headache.

PhotoMath , from PhotoPay Limited , will solve all of your complicated mathematical problems for you. With the app open, just point your iPhone's camera at the problem and PhotoMath will solve it instantly for you. It'll even give you a step-by-step breakdown on the screen of how it was solved. No more will that one unsolved problem take up hours of your time!

Step 1: Position

After downloading PhotoMath , available for free from the iOS App Store, go through the short tutorial to learn how it works. It's as easy as pointing your camera and making sure that the entire equation is in the red frame.

Pro-Tip : Swipe your finger across the screen to change the size of the frame.

Step 2: Solve

As soon as PhotoMath recognizes the equation, it will show the results in a red box underneath it. Better yet, you can tap on "Steps" to view a breakdown of how the equation was solved, a necessary feature for helping you actually learn how to solve it, as opposed to simply getting the answer.

Note : PhotoMath only works with printed equations; handwritten equations will not be recognized.

Step 3: Learn

Tap on the arrows at the bottom of "Solving Steps" to go through the different steps of how the equation was solved. From the camera viewfinder, tap on the stacks icon on the far left to view all of your recently scanned equations, grouped together in a neat chronological order.

Although the application is amazingly accurate for certain equations, it won't help you out with your intricate calculus or the like. Currently, PhotoMath supports only basic arithmetic, fractions, decimals, linear equations, and a few functions (like logs), but is updated constantly.

So for all other equations that PhotoMath can't solve, you'll have to use that other thing.... your brain (and a scientific calculator).

Let us know how PhotoMath has helped with your studies in the comments below, or over on our Facebook or Twitter feed.

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'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

This AI tool can help you (or your kid) with homework

Artificial intelligence is having a moment. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are getting a ton of attention right now, and rightfully so. You can ask an AI bot pretty much any question and get a plausible answer, though it may not be accurate . 

While everyone is trying to decide just how powerful AI is and whether or not it will replace their job , there are examples of AI tools that, if used in the right context, provide an invaluable service.

Also: How to use ChatGPT

Google's mobile app Socratic is a perfect example. Students can use the app to scan questions with their phone's camera, and a few seconds later get an answer. 

It's a powerful studying tool that could help students double-check their homework, or get across the last hurdle if a question or formula just isn't making sense. And using the app is as easy as using Snapchat or talking to Siri.

How to use Google's Socratic app to help with your homework

1. download and sign in to socratic by google.

The Socratic by Google app is available for Android devices and the iPhone. You can download it for free from the  Play Store for Android phones  or the  App Store for the iPhone . 

After the app is installed, you'll be asked to sign in to a Google account the first time you open it. Once you're signed in, follow the prompts to grant the app all of the required permissions so it can run. One such permission is access to your device's camera.

2. Try out the example questions before diving in

Socratic can be used for more than scanning math equations and calculating the answer. It can be used on mathematical word problems, to answer questions about science, or even to give you insight into a book. 

The easiest way to see how Socratic works is to use the example questions that are built into the app. Each time you launch the app it'll appear as if the camera app is open, with a yellow box near the top of the screen and a shutter button at the bottom. 

Also:   Now ChatGPT is coming to your web browser, too

Just above that shutter button in the Android app you'll see "Try an example." Select it to view a built-in list of questions that the app can answer. 

For iPhone users, you'll need to tap on the menu button in the top-left corner of the screen to slide out the menu, then "Try an example."

A page of four questions will show up, with a tool that looks and works a lot like an image-cropping tool. Drag the four corners of the tool to highlight a single question, then tap the  Go  button at the bottom of the screen. A few seconds later, you'll get an answer to the question, along with an explanation of the steps taken to get the answer. 

Also: What is Google Bard? Here's everything you need to know

That's easily my favorite part of the app -- it doesn't just pump out answers, giving students a way to cheat on their homework instead of learning, but it walks them through each step, explaining how and why it's taken each, and then gives the answer. (Like Wikipedia, Socratic is a useful resource rather than an infallible source of answers. See the end of this piece for more.)

3. Put Socratic to the homework test

There are three different ways to ask Socratic a question. The default method is to take a photo and use the same steps you went through when trying the included examples. However, you can also type a question or use your phone's microphone to use your voice and dictate the question. From the default camera view, swipe left or right to use the alternative entry methods. 

When using the camera, the easiest way to quickly get results is to use the yellow box that's on your phone's screen to capture your specific question. In my testing, Google's AI did a good job of identifying what's inside the box and automatically cropping the image down to exactly what was needed. 

Also: I'm using ChatGPT to help me fix code faster, but at what cost?

After taking the photo, submit the question and wait a second or two while Socratic does its magic. When it's done, you'll get an answer and explanation. 

Ideally, Socratic will be a tool students use to check their work, or as a means of getting guidance when they're stumped on a specific problem, and not as something to do their homework for them.

The iPhone app is full of extras

Google Socratic on the iPhone app

When using the Android and iPhone version of the Socratic app side by side, I noticed the iPhone app has a lot of extra information and tutorials you can pull up on demand for more research and learning. 

If you swipe up from the bottom of the screen in the iPhone app, you'll be presented with cards for various classroom topics like biology, chemistry, geometry, and even US history. As you tap each card you can narrow down the information at your fingertips by continuing to select cards that are specific to the area you're studying.

Can Socratic write essays or book reports? 

It cannot. And that's a good thing. ChatGPT and similar tools can write essays and long-form answers for you, but where's the fun in that? Not to mention those same tools can have plagiarism issues . 

Also:   I used ChatGPT to rewrite my text in the style of Shakespeare, C3PO, and Harry Potter

How accurate are Socratic's answers? 

In my brief testing, they seemed to be mostly accurate. However, when using the example question about raising the piano, there were multiple options for an answer. The difference seemed to be due to how the AI tool analyzed the sentence.  

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Homework Scanner 4+

Homework pdf document scanner, silver elm systems llc, designed for ipad, screenshots, description.

FREE WITH NO ADS HomeworkScan is the simple and easy way to scan and turn in your homework HomeworkScan allows you to use your phone's camera as a document scanner to scan your homework into a PDF file, and then attach your homework to an email or submit to your classroom website to turn it in. The app allows support multipage documents, auto-cropping, document editing, and other advanced features. Features Include: • Scan Your Homework from Your Phone's Camera • Scans Use the Industry Standard PDF Format • Attach Scans to Emails to Turn Them In • Attach Scans to Text Messages or AirDrop • Support for Multipage Document Scanning • Print Your Scans to AirPrint Enabled Printers • Save and Edit Your Homework Scans • Highlight and Markup Your Saved Scans • Scans Support Document AutoCropping

Version 1.0.4

Bug fixes and library updates.

App Privacy

The developer, Silver Elm Systems LLC , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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