IMPORTANT NEWS!:

* Until recently, 3D-XplorMath was a Macintosh only application. However, Professor David Eck of Hobart and William Smith Colleges has created a cross-platform Java version called 3D-XplorMath-J. While this version is still lacking a number of Exhibits and features of its older Pascal sister, it is rapidly catching up, and is already ready for serious use. Our goal is for it to eventually include all the essential functionality of the Pascal version. The latest development version of 3D-XplorMath-J is available for download at http://3D-XplorMath.org/j
* Gale Paeper has been working over the past year to make the Pascal version of 3D-XplorMath compatible with a new Pascal Compiler (GPC). When this work is complete, probably sometime in Fall 2007, it will make it possible to generate a 3D-XplorMath Universal Binary version that will run native on Intel-based Macs as well as on PowerPC Macs. (3D-XplorMath version 10.5 runs using Rossetta emulation on Intel-based Macs, resulting in slightly slower performance for some operations.)

3D-XplorMath (formerly 3D-Filmstrip) is a highly interactive museum for exploring the visual aspects of the exciting and beautiful universe of mathematical objects and processes. It has been under continual development for over fifteen years by an international team of renowned mathematical researchers and educators, the 3DXM Consortium. It was originally developed for use in teaching and research, but recently the Consortium has been working hard to make it easy and enjoyable to use by anyone with mathematical curiosity and an appreciation for the visual and logical beauty of mathematics.

This museum contains literally hundreds of well-known (and some not so well-known) mathematical objects, arranged logically into numerous “galleries”, referred to as Categories. These include: Surfaces, Planar Curves, Space Curves, Polyhedra, Conformal Maps, Dynamical Systems, Waves, and (the latest) Fractals & Chaos. The “3D” in its name refers to the fact that 3D objects can be viewed in strikingly realistic stereo.

If you would like to visit a Gallery of just some of the remarkable surfaces that can be created and manipulated with the program, go to http://VirtualMathMuseum.org

3D-XplorMath differs from programs such as Mathematica, Maple, and Matlab that provide visualization back-ends for viewing objects, but require the user to first program the object and its visualization. 3D-XplorMath emphasizes ease of use and does not even require the user to have a pre-existing knowledge of the mathematical definition of an object in order to see it. Every mathematical object in its massive collection is not only pre-programmed, but also has carefully chosen default parameters and associated animations. Merely selecting a gallery object by its name from a menu presents an excellent initial view of the object. The user may then optionally use simple dialogs, controls, and menu choices to customize and animate this default view, perhaps after first learning about its background by choosing About This Object from the Documentation menu. Users can also create and animate new objects on their own by entering simple algebraic formulas into dialogs. All objects including user defined objects can be saved in several graphic formats, and animations can be saved as Quicktime movies.

Please send us reports of any difficulties you have with the program and any suggestions you have for new mathematical objects or for improving the user interface and the documentation. Either send email to palais@uci.edu or if you prefer write your comments as a VersionTracker review.
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Binary Converter is a very simple application that coverts between a binary numbers and a decimal numbers and back again. With a intuitive user interface it would make computing (or math) homework easy.
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Mimic is a memory game of tones. Mimic generates a series of random tones and the player tries to remember and replay tones using eight colored buttons. This game is easy enough to be fun for anyone four years but hard enough to challenge adults. The game includes a mode to set the series of tones to “Mary had a little lamb” so that you can achieve high scores. Player can also use the buttons to play music as one would a small keyboard.
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Speed Reading III lets the user try one method to increase reading speed and comprehension. Ten practice text sources are built-in and you can also select any text file as a source. Reading speed can be adjusted from approximately 50 words per minute to 1500 words per minute using four radio buttons (very slow, slow, medium and high) and a slider. Comprehension is not tested. This utility displays full text very dimly with snapshots of normal black text moving across the page.
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Who Said This? is a fun way to learn quotations. A test (or game) is to identify 20 authors of 20 quotations. When you start the test, a quote is selected at random from the list in the Quotes Maintenance window (the default list includes over 100 authors/quotations and you can add, delete, and change this information). Your challenge is to pick the author from a drop-down menu of ten names for each quotation. Correct answers are rewarded with five points; incorrect answers result in a penalty of one point. High scores are maintained. Sound is supported. The sound setting and the Quotes Maintenance information are saved between sessions.
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So You Know Capitals! is an application that helps players practice their knowledge of (U.S.A) State and Country capitals. A state/country is selected at random and you select the capital from a ten possibilities. Points are awarded for correct answers; a penalty results from an incorrect answer. State and country capital information can be updated to keep abreast of world events. Sound is supported. Settings and updated information are saved between sessions. This application is appropriate (and challenging) for all ages
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TickerType is a game that helps you practice your typing skills. Each game has five turns and each turn is 30, 60 or 90 seconds long, selectable by the user. Words are chosen at random from a built-in dictionary; the player can choose short (2 - 4 letters), medium (4 - 6 letters) or long (6 - 8 letters). With the start of each game or turn, the words start marching across the window in tickertape fashion; the player can choose slow, medium or fast speeds. The goal is to type as many of the words as possible before the time runs out; a countdown is provided. If you type a word correctly before it starts to run off the window, the word disappears and you get ten points plus one point for each letter. The top ten scores are saved. Sound is supported; the player can turn sound on/off. Settings for sound, word length, speed and turn length are saved between sessions. This game is suitable for both adults and kids from age six.
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MickeyDeeDees is a simulation of a Point-of-Sale cash register at a fast food restaurant. User is the manager who sets prices and decides when to have a sale. Sound is supported. Menu and prices are saved between sessions.
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MickeysIceCream is a simulation of a Point-of-Sale cash register at an ice cream parlor. User is the manager who sets prices and decides when to have a sale. After all items have been entered, click on the “Total” button and tax is added. Then enter the customer’s cash amount and his change is calculated. Sound is supported. Sound setting and prices are saved between sessions.
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Flash Cards was developed to help you practice your knowledge of any subject using text phrases and picture flash cards. Text phrases are chosen from a table in the Phrase Maintenance Window and pictures are chosen from a folder created by the application in the Users/~/Documents folder where you place jpg picture files. The Setup Window lets you set the time a text phrase/picture is on-screen, the period between displays, the text color, bold/unbold, and text size. Settings are saved between sessions.
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