Socratic Solve
The short answer
Socratic Solve solves math problems from a photo. Open the app, tap Scan Question, point the camera at the problem, and the AI returns the answer with the complete working: each algebraic move shown on its own line in real math notation, not a wall of plain text.
- Download Socratic Solve free on iPhone, iPad or Android.
- Snap the problem, printed or handwritten.
- Read the step-by-step solution, then try the next one yourself.
Scan your first math problem free
Socratic Solve is free to download, and the full worked solution is one photo away.
What a photo math solver can handle in 2026
| Topic | Example of what you can scan |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic & fractions | Multi-step order-of-operations, fraction simplification |
| Algebra | Linear & quadratic equations, systems, inequalities, factoring |
| Logarithms & exponents | Solve x = log₈(4y + 9) for y, change of base, growth problems |
| Geometry & trigonometry | Angles, areas, triangle problems, identities |
| Matrices & linear algebra | Determinants, inverses, augmented-matrix systems |
| Calculus | Derivatives, integrals, limits |
| Word problems | The AI reads the sentences, sets up the equation, then solves it |
That last row matters: older camera calculators could only read a bare equation. Because Socratic Solve is built on AI that understands language as well as notation, the dreaded "a train leaves the station…" problem is scannable too.
Why the steps matter more than the answer
Most math homework is graded on working, and most math tests don't let you photograph anything. The answer alone is worth almost nothing. The method is what transfers. A good solver shows you the same solution structure your teacher expects: identify what's given, choose the rule, apply it line by line, simplify, state the result. Read the steps once, then redo the problem on paper without the app. If your working matches, you own the method. For a deeper look at equation solving, see the algebra solver with steps guide.
Photographing math: what trips scanners up
- Tiny superscripts: get close so x² doesn't read as x2.
- Glare on glossy pages: tilt the book away from the light.
- Multiple problems in frame: crop to the one you're solving.
- Very messy handwriting: the scanner is forgiving, but if a 4 looks like a 9 to you, it will to the AI. Type it instead; Socratic Solve accepts typed questions too.