MathBuddy

An AI-assisted math & ESL tutor for K-5 students, built to explain homework step by step in a student's own language.

Working prototype · Seeking independent educator review

What MathBuddy is

MathBuddy is a chat-based tutor that walks a student through a K-5 math problem step by step, rather than just giving the final answer. It is designed to work from typed questions or a photo of a homework problem, and to respond in the student's chosen language.

Who it is intended for

MathBuddy is intended for K-5 students working on math homework, including English-language learners and families who speak a language other than English at home. It is also intended to be reviewed by K-5 educators and organizations who support these students, before any classroom or family use is recommended.

Available functionality

• Text chat covering grade K through 5 math topics.
• Photo upload of a homework problem, analyzed and explained step by step.
• Responses in English, Ukrainian, Russian, or Spanish.
• Browser read-aloud for responses. (Voice input is temporarily unavailable while it's reviewed for a production-grade replacement.)

Design goals

• The model is instructed to explain reasoning step by step rather than only stating an answer.
• The model is instructed to respond entirely in the student's selected language.
• Grade-aware prompting is intended to adjust explanation difficulty to the selected grade level.

Known limitations

• Not yet independently evaluated by a qualified K–5 mathematics educator.
• Responses come from a general-purpose AI model and have not been independently checked for grade-level curriculum alignment.
• Handwriting and low-quality photos can be misread, which can affect the accuracy of a step-by-step solution.
• The model is instructed to follow specific behaviors (step-by-step explanations, target language, grade-appropriate framing), but this instruction-following is not guaranteed in every response.

Current stage

MathBuddy is a working prototype in active development, deployed for hands-on testing and review. It has not been piloted with real students as part of a formal program, and any such pilot is future work — see For Educators.

About the developer

Professional background spanning IT systems, automation, technical support, and mathematics and informatics education.

For organizations

If your organization works with K-5 students or English-language learners and you are interested in evaluating MathBuddy or discussing a possible future pilot, see For Educators for how to get in touch.

MathBuddy is independently developed and is not sponsored or endorsed by any school, district, or employer.