A software that helps in building up the calculation ability?

Question

I need a software to practice basic maths such as 21 * 21 , 453 + 234 etc. so that I can improve my calculation speeds.

Is there any software for Linux which can help me achieve that?

The software should prose simple questions and have a timer so as to record performance.

The software if possible can have a tip or trick section that might tell simple and easy tricks to speed up calculations.

Answer 1

For very basic arithmetic, (aimed at kids), there is tux maths but it might be a little simple for what you are looking for - you don't specify an age group or ability level.

Answer 2

Of course if you would like the ability to tailor the level you could paste the following into a file called, math_quiz.py:

#!/usr/bin/env python
#coding:utf-8
"""
  Author:  Steve Barnes
  Purpose: Provide some maths practice
  Created: 11/07/2015

  This module should allow some maths practice against the clock.
  Set the level of difficulty by adding a number 0-9 to the command line.
"""
from __future__ import print_function
import sys
import random
import datetime
import os
import pickle

# Note that other operands such as dev, modulo, int dev, etc could be added but
# the check for correct would need to use floats and to specify a limit to the 
# number of characters and rounding level of result to avoid irrational numbers
LOD2Options = { # Dictionary of the level of difficulty v. range and operations
            0:(5, ['+',], 1, 5),
            1:(10, ['+', '-'], 1, 5),
            2:(100, ['+', '-'], 1, 4),
            3:(1000, ['+', '-'], 2, 3),
            4:(20, ['+', '-', '*'], 2, 2),
            5:(200, ['+', '-', '*'], 2, 2),
            6:(250, ['+', '-', '*'], 3, 2),
            7:(1000, ['+', '-', '*'], 3, 1),
            8:(3000, ['+', '-', '*'], 3, 1),
            9:(6000, ['+', '-', '*'], 4, 1),
            }

def CreateProblem(MaxNum, Ops, Parts):
    """ Generate the problem."""
    Steps = [str(random.randint(0, MaxNum))] # First number
    for n in range(Parts):
        Steps.append(random.choice(Ops)) # Add an operand
        Steps.append(str(random.randint(0, MaxNum))) # Next Number
    Problem = ' '.join(Steps) # Generate the string
    Solution = str(eval(Problem)) # and the answer
    return (Problem, Solution)

def DoQuiz(LoD):
    """ Actually perform the quiz - return the score the and time taken."""
    (MaxNum, Ops, Parts, Tries) = LOD2Options.get(LoD)
    NoQuestions = 10
    QnAs = [CreateProblem(MaxNum, Ops, Parts) for n in range(NoQuestions)]
    Score = 0
    Started = datetime.datetime.now()
    for n in range(NoQuestions):
        Correct = False
        (Quest, Ans) = QnAs[n]
        for trys in range(Tries):
            response = raw_input(Quest+' = ')
            Correct = response == Ans
            if Correct:
                Score += 1
                break
        print(Correct and "Correct" or " = ".join([Quest, Ans]))
    Finished = datetime.datetime.now()
    return (Score, Finished-Started)

def GetLod(arg):
    """ Get the level of difficulty."""
    LoD = arg
    while LoD not in [str(x) for x in range(10)]:
        LoD = raw_input('Please enter diffulty level [0..9]:')
    return int(LoD)

def ShowSaveStats(LoD, Score, Time):
    """ Show the scores, including cumative, and save for future."""
    score_filename = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser('~'), 'MathQuiz.scores')
    scores = None
    if os.path.exists(score_filename):
        with open(score_filename) as scorefile:
            scores = pickle.load(scorefile)
    if not scores:
        scores = {}
        for n in range(10):
            scores[n] = (0, 0, None, None, 0, None)
    (Runs, MaxScore, BestTimeForScore, WhenBest, LatestScore,
     LatestTime) = scores[LoD]
    print('Results form this run: %s/10 in %s at level %s' % (Score, Time, LoD))
    print('Last Run at %s: %s/10 in %s' % (LoD, LatestScore,
                                           LatestTime))
    print('Best %s/10 Level %s was %s on %s' % (MaxScore, LoD,
                                                BestTimeForScore,
                                                WhenBest))
    NewBest = False
    if Score > MaxScore:
        print('%s/10 is a new best score for level %s' % (Score, LoD))
        NewBest = True
    if Score == MaxScore and Time < BestTimeForScore:
        print('Fastest time for %s/10 at level %s' % (Score, LoD))
        if not BestTimeForScore or Time < BestTimeForScore:
            print('NEW BEST TIME FOR %s/10 AT THIS LEVEL %s vs %s' % (
                Score, Time, BestTimeForScore))
            NewBest = True
    if NewBest:
        newentry = (Runs+1, Score, Time,
                    datetime.datetime.now(), Score, Time)
    else:
        newentry = (Runs + 1, MaxScore,
                    BestTimeForScore, WhenBest,
                    Score, Time)
    scores[LoD] = newentry
    try:
        with open(score_filename, 'w') as scorefile:
            pickle.dump(scores, scorefile)
    except (IOError), e:
        print('Error writing to %s' % score_filename)
        print(e)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1].lower() in ['-h', '?', '--help']:
        print(__doc__)
    else:
        sys.argv.append(' ')
        LoD = GetLod(sys.argv[1])
        Score, Time = DoQuiz(LoD)
        ShowSaveStats(LoD, Score, Time)

And then either run it with:

python math_quiz.py

or change the file type to executable.

You can then consider modifying the levels and/or enhancing the code to add more operators, time limits, etc.