Wolfram|Alpha

Wolfram|Alpha is a free, online, computational knowledge engine that generates answers to questions in real time by doing computations on its own vast, internal knowledge base. It is essentially an intelligent search engine that is a combination of dictionary, graphing calculator, atlas, encyclopedia, multimedia gallery, and much more.

The results are quite different from any other search engine. For example, if you search “life expectancy”, your results will display the life expectancy of the entire world population. There will be a summary of the mean, median, highest, and lowest expectancies of the world and a list of countries with the highest ages (Macau at 84.4 years old) and the lowest (Swaziland at 32 years old). Wolfram|Alpha will also generate the same data in different forms: a geographic map, graph, and a table converting the life expectancies into days, hours, minutes, etc.

Wolfram|Alpha is also capable of computing complex mathematical equations. If you search “solve derivative of x^4 sin x” — the equation will be solved, its values plotted on graphs, and its alternate forms, root, and indefinite integral given. (A good way for students to check if their homework is correct.)

This new form of search engine is appropriate for any school subject. If “Rigel” (a star) is queried, you will discover its basic information such as, distance from Earth, mass, and temperature. Also displayed are Rigel’s position on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, nearby sky objects, and its current sky position in relation to the searcher’s location.

Wolfram|Alpha generates answers to questions using its own internally curated data sources (and not the Internet). As a result, teachers need not worry about inadvertently displaying inappropriate web content unlike other search engines. Also, when using this new type of search portal, students no longer need to sift through dozens of websites to find their information, making it an excellent resource for their studies.

For teachers, Wolfram|Alpha provides thousands of query examples in dozens of categories. There are videos of how educators across the globe are incorporating Wolfram|Alpha into their classroom activities. There is also a dedicated Education Group on Wolfram|Alpha’s forum as well as lesson plans for math, science, and social sciences.

Wolfram|Alpha is available as an app for smartphones and is compatible with all classroom presentation technologies.

Have you tried Wolfram Alpha in your classroom? What type of questions did you ask?