Lemma reimagines math help through a problem-first, interactive notebook that integrates AI directly into the student's workflow.
Unlike generic AI chatbots that simply provide answers, Lemma provides personalized guidance within a spatial workspace that mimics natural mathematical thinking. This integrated assistance helps students build the confidence and understanding to tackle future problems independently.
While tutoring my younger sister in math, I realized that LLMs have the potential to help high schoolers with math learning.
As a recent college graduate in math who is often tasked to help my younger sibling Audrey (grade 10) with math tutoring, I've witnessed the challenges of math homework firsthand. However, traditional AI assistants fail to replicate the experience of having someone guide you through your own work.
To identify the specific needs of high school students, we interviewed 15 high schoolers (grades 9-12) about their use of language models for math homework.
We explored their math curriculum, circumstances prompting AI use, usage frequency, and had them demonstrate their typical AI interaction process when seeking homework assistance. Initial research revealed students struggle with generic AI tools. We identified the following pain points:
- 1 Difficulty expressing the specific points where they're stuck in math problems
- 2 Receiving either too much help (complete answers) or too little
- 3 Lack of visual aids for abstract concepts
- 4 Cumbersome workflow involving capturing photos, sharing across devices, and then uploading them to a chat box interface
Our research led us to confine the solution to an iPad app and identify four core principles to guide our design decisions along the way.
- 1 Problem-First Learning
Prioritize active problem-solving over passive consumption of answers - 2 Visual-First Understanding
Utilize interactive visualizations and diagrams as primary teaching tools rather than text explanations - 3 Stepping Stone Guidance
Provide carefully calibrated hints that guide students toward solutions without solving problems for them - 4 Confidence Building
Create a supportive learning environment that builds confidence through paced guidance and positive reinforcement
I explored multiple UI approaches, starting with a conventional chatbot interface before realizing math requires a more spatial interaction model. The guided linear workspace emerged as the optimal solution, balancing functionality with implementation feasibility.
The following are some of the core features of Lemma and what they look like.
Thoughtful hints to help student get started without revealing the answers
When a student feels stuck, they can tap the hint button. Lemma assesses whatever is currently on the page and provides a hint that guides them toward the appropriate next step. This hint helps “nudge” the student in the right direction, while still requiring them to think and arrive at the solution on their own.
Instant verification that also teaches
Unsure if your approach is correct? The verify tool instantly checks your work and provides targeted feedback. Here's what happens when a student makes a common mistake in exponent rules:
The verification system doesn't just flag errors—it provides clear explanations about why the approach isn't working and offers specific guidance to help correct the misconception. With this supportive feedback, students can rethink their approach and arrive at the correct solution:
Interactive visualizations that make concepts click
Not sure what a problem is asking? Struggling to grasp the underlying concept? Sometimes seeing is understanding. The visualize tool transforms abstract equations into interactive graphs, charts, and diagrams tailored to the specific problem at hand.
Students can instantly generate visual representations that illuminate mathematical relationships and provide intuitive understanding. In this example, a student uses the visualize tool to see how a quadratic equation relates to its graph, making the concept of “finding roots” immediately clear.
I'm currently collaborating with Marco to transform Lemma from concept to product. Stay tuned for updates!
If you are also passionate about improving math education through technology, I'd love to connect! Whether you have questions, insights to share, or want to discuss potential collaborations, please reach out. I'd love to hear from you!