{"id":15260822,"date":"2026-08-19T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/ai-can-be-a-helpful-math-tutor-if-used-right-and-harmful-if-not\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T10:33:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T14:33:20","slug":"ai-can-be-a-helpful-math-tutor-if-used-right-and-harmful-if-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/ai-can-be-a-helpful-math-tutor-if-used-right-and-harmful-if-not\/","title":{"rendered":"AI can be a helpful math tutor if used right \u2014 and harmful if not"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Is it a good idea to use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-artificial-intelligence-definition-pronunciation\">artificial intelligence<\/a> (AI) for math help? Yes \u2014 and no. That\u2019s based on the results of a new survey. AI can be a great tutor, it finds, but only if you use it in certain ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The data come from <a href=\"https:\/\/m3challenge.siam.org\/newsroom\/global-survey-of-top-math-student-shines-light-on-their-academic-success\/\" rel=\"noopener\">a poll of 1,300 high school students<\/a> from across the United States, England and Wales. The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics surveyed some top math students in each nation. The goal was to identify the habits behind their academic success.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>AI has many strengths as a math tutor, the study found. Students can use AI to explain things in different ways and to check their homework answers. It can answer \u201cwhy\u201d questions about material to deepen their understanding. AI can tailor learning by identifying a student\u2019s knowledge gaps. Using AI as a tutor could even reduce math anxiety, some students said.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"wp-block-sciencenews-inline-related-post alignleft\">\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-artificial-intelligence-definition-pronunciation\">Scientists Say: Artificial intelligence<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But there are potential downsides to AI tutoring as well, notes Robbie Torney. AI was designed to reduce friction \u2014 meaning it aims to do things quickly and efficiently. But learning \u201crequires friction,\u201d says Torney, who was not involved in the survey. He heads up AI &amp; Digital Assessments at Common Sense Media. It\u2019s a nonprofit group working to make the digital world safer for children and teens.<\/p>\n<p>Science shows that learning requires grappling with problems, Torney notes. You have to work through things that feel hard and come up with your own answers.<\/p>\n<p>Tiago C.P. agrees. To this Colorado high-school senior (who did not take part in the survey), the most important thing is \u201ctrying the problem first.\u201d This is where students struggle, he adds, but \u201cthat&#8217;s when you get the learning down.\u201d&nbsp;Says Tiago, \u201cI won&#8217;t use AI before I&#8217;ve fully attempted a problem.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1030\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/08\/1030_AI_as_math_tutor_study.jpg\" alt=\"an illustration with a girl doing homework in front of a laptop, in the background is an illustration of a math problem\" class=\"wp-image-243284\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-243284\">Using AI for help with homework or when studying for tests can be fine \u2014 as long as you keep thinking, doing the work and using a range of other resources, too.<\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-243284\">Anton Vierietin\/iStock\/Getty Images Plus<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Survey says<\/h2>\n<p>The teens in the study had all taken part in an international math contest. Afterward, they gave their take on whether AI could be an effective math tutor. About half said yes \u2014 if the AI was used in specific ways. More than 200 math teachers also took part. More than six in every 10 agreed that an AI tutor could be beneficial. But AI could also decrease learning if used improperly, they noted.<\/p>\n<p>Almost two thirds of students surveyed (63 percent) said they would always try a math problem on their own before seeking help from AI. If they were struggling, where would the students turn? Most recommended first asking teachers (58 percent), followed by classmates (50 percent). Others said they\u2019d continue to try on their own (48 percent) or look for tutorials on the internet (46 percent). At 39 percent, AI came in fifth place.<\/p>\n<p>That suggests using AI <em>after<\/em> trying most other sources of help. The number one suggestion for how to do well in math was doing regular practice problems. That\u2019s according to both students (67 percent) and teachers (62 percent).<\/p>\n<p>Overall, about half of the students said they believe AI has a place in math education. But they added that it is best used along with \u2014 not in place of \u2014 help from their classroom teacher. For one thing, \u201cIt\u2019s hard to get AI to teach you the same way your teacher would,\u201d says Amelie M., another Colorado senior (who did not participate in the survey).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"450\" width=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/08\/1030_AI_as_math_tutor_questions.jpg?w=675\" alt=\"a teacher leans over to explain something to a group of students working at a table\" class=\"wp-image-243283\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-243283\">Ask questions of your human teachers, not just of your AI tutor. A range of teaching styles can boost understanding. Also, people can understand each other better than AI can. <\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-243283\">Klaus Vedfelt\/DigitalVision\/Getty Images Plus<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use AI for homework wisely<\/h2>\n<p>More than half of the teachers in the study (55 percent) said AI\u2019s biggest benefit is its ability to explain \u2014 step by step \u2014 how to solve a problem.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/teen-chatbot-use-homework\">But relying on it<\/a> can harm learning in the long run. Almost three in every four teachers surveyed said their biggest concern was that AI can quickly become a crutch.<\/p>\n<p>Amanda Brown teaches math at Broomfield High School in Colorado. When learning something new, you can use AI for help, she says. But as you become more familiar with the subject, studies show, <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC12232635\/\" rel=\"noopener\">you should turn to AI less and less<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Torney recommends asking yourself (or even the AI): \u201cWho&#8217;s doing most of the work?\u201d Whenever it\u2019s AI, he says, that likely points to a problem.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI see kids that have perfect homework scores,\u201d Brown says, who later \u201cdon&#8217;t pass their test.\u201d AI might have helped them ace the homework. But in the end, Brown notes, \u201cYou\u2019re gonna have to take the test [without AI].\u201d And that\u2019s when it comes out: Do you know the material or not?<\/p>\n<aside class=\"wp-block-sciencenews-inline-related-post alignleft\">\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/5-things-talking-with-chatbot\">5 things to remember when talking to a chatbot<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The trick is using AI in moderation, agrees Amelie. Try to ask it very specific questions, she says, such as: \u201cWhat are different ways I could solve this?\u201d Amelie also suggests adding to your prompt: \u201cDon&#8217;t give me the answer.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Tiago warns that you also need to check whether AI is correct. Although chatbots keep improving, they sometimes \u201challucinate\u201d (make errors). This is because AI doesn\u2019t actually <em>know<\/em> the answer. It just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-large-language-model-definition-pronunciation\">predicts what is the <em>most likely<\/em> answer<\/a> from the data it has ingested. \u201cAt least a quarter of the time,\u201d Tiago says, \u201cI can catch a mistake it&#8217;s made.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Remember that you can also work on problems with classmates. And teachers are likely your best source for homework help. \u201cLearning has always been a social task,\u201d Torney points out \u2014 \u201csomething that we do with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"422\" width=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/08\/1030_AI_as_math_tutor_group.jpg?w=800\" alt=\"a photo of a group of diverse students participating in a study group\" class=\"wp-image-243282\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span class=\"caption wp-caption-243282\">Studying in groups can turn learning into a \u201csocial task.\u201d Those who understand something better can coach peers. People have different ways of learning and can benefit from others\u2019 approaches. <\/span><span class=\"credit wp-credit-243282\">Jacob Wackerhausen\/iStock\/Getty Images Plus<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beyond homework<\/h2>\n<p>AI can be a good helper as you prepare for tests, Tiago finds. It can&nbsp;generate sample problems, create flash cards or drill you on concepts.&nbsp;Or if you were out sick for a few days, AI might help you catch up on topics you missed.<\/p>\n<p>But AI will \u201cpull from so many things,\u201d says Amelie, that it can return \u201clong, long paragraphs\u201d of info. This \u201cmight actually be more overwhelming\u201d than helpful, she points out. What might prove more beneficial are YouTube instructional videos that AI references, she says. Such videos show someone actually teaching you.<\/p>\n<p>A math hack: You can also ask AI to tell you about your own thinking and learning. The surveyed teachers suggested letting AI test you to find gaps in your knowledge. Students recommended asking AI \u201cwhy\u201d questions about math. These could make you a better learner.<\/p>\n<p>.cheat-sheet-cta {<br \/>\n  border: 1px solid #ffffff;<br \/>\n  margin-top: 20px;<br \/>\n  background-image: url(&#8220;https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/12\/cta-module@2x-2048&#215;239-1.png&#8221;);<br \/>\n  padding: 10px;<br \/>\n  clear: both;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group cheat-sheet-cta is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Do you have a science question? We can help!<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/YbhPosFTMqjbSNnV7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Submit your question here<\/a>, and we might answer it an upcoming issue of&nbsp;<em>Science News Explores<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The long game<\/h2>\n<p>Math is a bit like learning a sport. You have to learn certain skills and in a certain order. Consider ice hockey. Until you learn how to skate \u2014 and how to stop \u2014 you\u2019ll have a tough time mastering a slap shot.<\/p>\n<p>In math, if you don\u2019t learn factoring, you\u2019ll have trouble in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-algebra\">algebra<\/a>. If you don\u2019t learn algebra well, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/scientists-say-calculus-definition-pronunciation\">calculus<\/a> will be a bear. This is why Torney advises that you \u201ckeep your eye on the long game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And learning takes work. \u201cWhen it&#8217;s easy,\u201d Torney says, \u201clearning is probably not happening.\u201d If you\u2019re using AI for help with math and don\u2019t feel like you\u2019re working very hard, change how or where you get help.<\/p>\n<p>Torney offers a last tip: Choose your AI platform wisely. Chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Copilot are \u201cmulti-use\u201d systems. They can tackle any topic \u2014 not just math. Platforms such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathgptpro.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Mathos<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wolframalpha.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Wolfram|Alpha<\/a> answer questions just on math. And the discontinued (but still available) Khanmigo focuses on education.<\/p>\n<p>Some students who use multi-use systems for math can start relying on them for social advice or emotional support, too. This can lead to dependency in some people. That\u2019s why systems focused on a single topic, Torney says, \u201ctend to be less risky for kids and teens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Using AI to help you understand math better can be a great thing. Just keep in mind this mantra from the teacher survey: \u201cIt\u2019s critical for students to arrive at the correct answers themselves.\u201d Use AI to learn concepts, not get answers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"inmi-source\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/ai-math-tutor-learning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Science \u2013 sciencenewsforstudents<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using AI to learn math concepts can boost understanding. But if used to get quick answers, AI can become a crutch that hurts learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15260824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15260822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-300x168.webp",300,168,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-620x348.webp",620,348,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-768x431.webp",768,431,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"ignition_item":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-670x446.webp",670,446,true],"ignition_item_lg":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat.webp",800,449,false],"ignition_article_media":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-510x449.webp",510,449,true],"ignition_minicart_item":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-160x160.webp",160,160,true],"profile_24":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-24x24.webp",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-48x48.webp",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-96x96.webp",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15260822-1030_ai_as_math_tutor_feat-300x300.webp",300,300,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"news.iNthacity","author_link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/author\/atombo\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/articles\/science\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Science<\/a>","tag_info":"Science","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15260822"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15260823,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260822\/revisions\/15260823"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15260824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15260822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15260822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15260822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}