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ATLANTA (CNN) — Say it with us: Kids today have it sooooo easy.
A new smartphone app will do their math homework for them, provided it's not too complicated. PhotoMath by microblink uses a phone's camera to solve equations and then teaches you the step-by-step method for solving it yourself.
The app can do arithmetic: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. It can handle fractions. It knows what 23 is and can calculate the root of 246. It can even do simple linear equations, provided the x you're solving for is italicized so the app doesn't confuse it with the x multiplication symbol.
The only catch is that the equation you're trying to solve must be printed text, rather than handwritten. So forget trying to calculate that tip by scribbling it on a restaurant napkin. (Don't worry, there's already a million apps for that.)
The app may pose a problem for schools are already dealing with smartphone overload. Math teachers will have to be extra vigilant during tests to prevent students from cheating.
The PhotoMath app is available for iPhones and Windows phones and is coming to Android phones in 2015.
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