--- title: PhotoMath App Solves Math Equations with Smartphone Text Recognition description: This smart camera calculator uses text recognition to scan the equations and display answers instantly canonical: https://time.com/3531375/photomath-app-smart-camera-calculator/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-22T15:50:41.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:01:52.568Z og:title: This App Can Scan and Solve Math Equations Instantly og:description: Math homework just became way easier og:url: https://time.com/3531375/photomath-app-smart-camera-calculator/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf634e89670c83a87/6987623b524fc05339dea03d/photo2-photomath.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5760 og:image:height: 3240 og:image:alt: PhotoMath og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: This App Can Scan and Solve Math Equations Instantly twitter:description: Math homework just became way easier twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf634e89670c83a87/6987623b524fc05339dea03d/photo2-photomath.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # This App Can Scan and Solve Math Equations Instantly > Sponsored content. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=a3314aa7-c62e-47a9-b873-9976972f7b15&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: PhotoMath [Watch (HLS stream): PhotoMath](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/VWrwQNdZ.m3u8) (0:43)  _Published 2014-10-22. PhotoMath_  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Oct 22, 2014 3:50 PM UTC  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Oct 22, 2014 3:50 PM UTC A viral video about a new app looks like a dream come true for anyone who struggles with math. Based on the promo clip, PhotoMath, dubbed a “smart camera calculator,” appears to use smartphone cameras to scan a photo of a math equation in a textbook and display the answer instantly — similar to apps that scan barcodes and takes users to a link in a web browser. It looks like the app can also show step-by-step instructions for solving the problem. PhotoMath’s parent company MicroBLINK launched the app this week at TechCrunch Disrupt Europe in London, [TechCrunch reports.](http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/20/microblink-launches-photomath-to-solve-math-equations-with-a-phone/) It is available in the App Store on iTunes. **MORE:** [Really Hard Math Problems With Friends: A New Way to Prep for the SAT and ACT](http://time.com/79390/really-hard-math-problems-with-friends-a-new-way-to-prep-for-the-sat-and-act/) _Read next:_ [_50 Best iPhone Apps, 2014 Edition_](http://time.com/136073/50-best-iphone-apps/?xid=time%5Freadnext) ### PHOTOS: The Rise of Mobile Phones from 1916 to Today  1916 A German field telephone station in the Aisne department of northern France during World War I. Paul Thompson—FPG/Getty Images  1970 French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in a scene from the film 'Point de Chute' (aka 'Falling Point'). Keystone/Holton/Getty Images  1980 An early mobile phone during the Iranian Embassy siege at Princes Gate in South Kensington, London. Kypros/Getty Images  1983 Bob Maxwell, general manager of Englewood-based Mobile Telephone of Colorado, places a call on an FCC-approved radio frequency while driving to work. Lyn Alweis—Denver Post/Getty Images  1986 THE A-TEAM "The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair" Episode 5\. (l-r) Eddie Velez as Frankie Santana, Robert Vaughn as General Hunt Stockwell, George Peppard as John 'Hannibal' Smith. Bill Dow—NBC/Getty Images  1992 Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton talks on a cell phone while meeting with Boston Mayor Ray Flynn in a New York hotel on Sept. 25. Mark Lennihan—AP  1993 Whoopi Goldberg during ShoWest in Las Vegas. Jeff Kravitz—FilmMagic/Getty Images  1997 A farmer with his family sitting on a Bullock Cart and talking on a mobile Phone, in Delhi. India Today Group/Getty Images  2001 A woman watches smoke pour out of the World Trade Center Towers in New York on September 11. Nicholas Goldberg—Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images  2011 A rebel militiaman speaks on his mobile phone after capturing territory from government troops on March 25 in Ben Jawat, Libya. John Moore—Getty Images  2011 A youth films the aftermath of tear gas police fired at protestors in Muhammed Mahmoud Street near Tahrir Square on November 23 in Cairo. Peter Macdiarmid—Getty Images  2012 Audience members take pictures of President Barack Obama at Florida Atlantic University on April 10 in Boca Raton, Florida. Marc Serota—Getty Images  2014 A teenager takes a selfie in front of Queen Elizabeth II during a walk around St. Georges Market in Belfast. The Queen has apparently voiced her dismay that when she carries out engagements she is greeted by a sea of mobile phones. Peter Macdiarmid—PA Wire/Press Association Images/AP ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3531375/photomath-app-smart-camera-calculator/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3531375/photomath-app-smart-camera-calculator/"},"headline":"This App Can Scan and Solve Math Equations Instantly","datePublished":"2014-10-22T15:50:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-01T09:01:52.568Z","description":"Doing math homework just got way easier","url":"https://time.com/3531375/photomath-app-smart-camera-calculator/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Tech","Technology"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf634e89670c83a87/6987623b524fc05339dea03d/photo2-photomath.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Olivia B. 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