Wolfram Alpha + ChatGPT = Amazing Math Teacher Help

As part of 80 days of AI and HI, I’ve been testing ChatGPT to see what I think of it for math teachers. In this post, I’ll talk about how math teachers can get totally accurate math problems (and answers) from ChatGPT.  I’d like to add that this will also be a benefit to science teachers and other teachers using statistics and data.

So, ChatGPT has done reasonably well with math problems and answers, particularly word problems. However, math needs to be accurate (as does everything else, as well.) But specifically, to be used for math teachers, they need to trust the results. So, until now, I hesitated to recommend ChatGPT to math teachers. That seems to be about to change. First, I’ll share why this is important and then share the current instructions for installing the plugin.

First, the plugin is available for the ChatGPT Plus version (which runs $20 a month.)

Why Would a Wolfram Alpha plugin for ChatGPT Plus be so Helpful?

I am recommending the Wolfram Alpha plugin because if it works like I think it will, it will be a game changer. I have already been recommending Wolfram Alpha for math teachers (instead of ChatGPT) because it is accurate, can generate step-by-step instructions, and is a math teacher’s “best friend.”

However, Wolfram Alpha wasn’t easy “to talk to.” ChatGPT excels at conversation. So, suppose the ease of conversation actually does combine with 100% accuracy for math, as math teachers need. The result will be an incredible assistant that every math teacher can use, science, history, and many others. Wolfram Alpha will give accuracy that ChatGPT needs for so much discrete information.

If you look at the ideas for how this can be used (as shared on the Wolfram Alpha site) you’ll see everything from musical notes to mathematical functions to movie trivia. Function plotting, factorization, and population statistics will also be able to be accurately generated.

ChatGPT Adds Plugins

ChatGPT is gradually adding plugins. So, if you have a ChatGPT account, sign up on the waitlist here.

The ChatGPT Plugin Store

Now it gets exciting. The ChatGPT plugin store is accessed, and you can install the Wolfram Alpha plugin! (After you get accepted after applying to the waitlist.)

Then, you can add this (and other plugins) from the store.

Talk to Wolfram Alpha in Conversational English

Now, you can enable the Wolfram Alpha plugin inside ChatGPT to create incredibly useful things that are accurate and usable! This is so exciting!

Not Just ChatGPT Plus

If you peruse the Wolfram Alpha AI Tools, you’ll see that these incredible features will be coming to many tools and can possibly be added to the tools you already use.

They also have Wolfram Alpha widgets to add to your class websites and lessons, but we’ll expand far beyond these in the future.

Math teachers hold on. You’re about to get some help.

But also realize that these tools will be available to students as well. This will likely change your instruction, move you towards mastery learning, and perhaps flipping your classroom. (See What is Mastery Learning and How Do you Implement It Effectively with Jon Bergmann.)

As the tools change, instructional pedagogies change.

And I will continue to talk about the integrity gap—those students who genuinely educate their minds.

However, another gap will be created between educators who know how to teach in the age of AI effectively and those who do not. Human Intelligence (HI) is even more important in the age of AI. AI can do some things, but it still needs well-educated, savvy, creative humans to make it useful. 

And remember that amazing, energetic awesome educators will always have a place in the classroom. 

Stay tuned for more! I’ll test these tools as soon as I’m able to become eligible to install them. This is exciting!