Math Tools on an Online Whiteboard: Formulas, Graphs and Grids

The math tools on an online whiteboard are the features that make live math lessons readable: an equation editor for typed formulas, a graphing tool for plotting functions, graph and coordinate paper backgrounds, and a calculator. In Educastic they sit on the whiteboard itself, so you never leave the lesson to find them.

Handwritten math on a screen is hard to read, and a hand-drawn parabola is never quite a parabola. The fix is to pick the right tool for each part of the explanation, not to stop writing by hand.

What math tools does Educastic's whiteboard include?

Educastic's whiteboard includes four math tools, each found in a different place on the screen.

Teachers choose which tools appear in each session, so if a group does not need the Formula Tool or Math Paper you can switch them off on the Educast Tools page and keep the toolbar simple.

How do you type an equation on the whiteboard?

You type an equation with the Formula Tool: write it in LaTeX, check the preview, and click Apply to place it on the board. Step by step:

1. On the left toolbar, open the Formula Tool group and choose Formula.
2. Type your equation in the LaTeX box, or build it from the symbol menus above it (functions, colour and size are all there).
3. Watch the Preview pane beside it update as you type.
4. Use Examples or Matrices for ready-made layouts, or LaTeX for a quick syntax reference.
5. Click Apply. The formula appears on the board as an object you can move and resize.

If you use the same formulas every week (the quadratic formula, Pythagoras, the compound interest formula), click Add To Favorite once. Next time, open Favorite and pick it instead of typing it again.

Tip: type the formula, then work through it by hand underneath. The typed line is the clean reference; your handwriting shows the thinking.

How do you graph a function during a live lesson?

You graph a function with the Graph tool, which opens a Desmos graphing calculator inside the whiteboard. Choose Formula Tool then Graph, type your function, adjust it until the graph shows what you want, and click Apply. Educastic opens the graph in a new board tab, so the graph gets its own clean page. One limit: guests who joined without an account cannot see new tabs, and Educastic shows the teacher a notice about this when guests are in the session.

Because the graph arrives as a picture on its own tab, you can annotate it like any other page: circle the roots, mark the turning point, label the asymptote.

Which math paper should you use for which topic?

Choose the paper by what students will write: ruled lines for words, graph paper for working and tables, a coordinate plane for plotting, and isometric for 3D shapes. Open Math Paper on the left toolbar and pick one:

On the coordinate plane, an Axis labels button adds numbers along the axes. It is off by default, which is useful when you want students to work out the scale themselves.

The paper is set per tab, so one tab can hold a coordinate plane and another ruled lines. Every participant sees the change, and the tab keeps its paper. To start every new tab on the same paper, the teacher sets Default Grid in the session settings (Educast Setting).

What does snap to grid do?

Snap to grid makes the ends of lines and the corners of shapes jump to the nearest grid intersection, so diagrams line up exactly. The teacher turns it on with the Snap to grid switch in the header bar. Freehand pen strokes are never snapped, so your handwriting stays natural while your triangles and axes stay accurate. Switch it off again when you want to place something between gridlines.

When should students use the calculator?

Use the calculator when arithmetic is not the skill you are teaching. Educastic's calculator is a scientific calculator with sin, cos, tan and their inverses, ln and log, powers, square roots, factorials, π, e and an Ans key. Teachers open it from the + menu on the right panel; students find the Calculator icon directly on their right panel.

The calculator opens in a small window that each person uses on their own screen. It is not shared with the class, so ask students to say or write their answer on the board when you want to see it.

How do the math tools fit together in one lesson?

A worked example in a 30 minute algebra lesson might use all four:

1. Start on a Coordinate plane tab and ask students where they think y = x² - 4 crosses the x-axis.
2. Use Formula to place the function neatly at the top of the page.
3. Let a student with drawing access sketch their prediction.
4. Use Graph to plot the real function, which opens on a new tab.
5. Compare prediction and graph, and annotate the roots.
6. Switch to a Ruled lines tab for a short written explanation of what the roots mean.

For more ideas on structuring a whole math session, see Online Whiteboard for Math Tutoring: 7 Techniques That Work.

Frequently asked questions

Can I type equations on an online whiteboard without knowing LaTeX? Mostly, yes. Educastic's Formula Tool has symbol menus, Examples and Matrices that insert the LaTeX for you, and the preview shows the result as you go.

Does the graph update on the board if I change it later? No. The graph is placed as an image on a new tab. To change it, open Graph again and apply the new version.

Can each tab have a different background? Yes. Math Paper is set per tab, and every participant sees the paper you choose.

Do students see my calculator? No. The calculator window is personal; each participant opens and uses their own.

Do the math tools cost extra? No. Educastic includes all of its teaching features in the free version.

Try the math tools in your next lesson

Open the Educastic online whiteboard, switch to a coordinate plane, type one formula and graph it. Ten minutes of practice before class is enough to use all four tools with confidence.

Try the math tools free