Show HN: Make math automatic with Mathy
Gabe Mays built Mathy, a free cross-platform app using spaced repetition and deterministic generation to build math automaticity through quick mental drills.
summary is enough It is a straightforward product launch announcement whose core features and utility are easily grasped from the summary.
summary
Mathy is a free web and iOS app designed to build math automaticity through rapid mental recall drills rather than teaching new concepts. Built as a companion to platforms like Math Academy, it uses the FSRS spaced repetition algorithm to schedule reviews and features deterministically generated problems to avoid AI errors. Currently operating locally without user accounts, the app includes gamified elements like 60-second sprints and streaks to maintain low-friction daily practice.
key points
- Uses the FSRS spaced repetition algorithm to dynamically space out review intervals as concepts become automatic.
- Relies on deterministic question generation and canonical input normalization rather than LLMs to guarantee accurate answers.
- Built using React Native for web and iOS with a local-first architecture requiring no accounts or backend storage for the MVP.
who should read it
Adults and students learning advanced mathematics who want a low-friction mobile tool to drill core mechanics and build recall speed.
discussion warm
consensus
Commenters praise the clean execution and appreciate the deliberate choice to avoid AI-generated content in favor of deterministic math generation.
pushback
Some users struggled with skill level calibration and noted a desire for visual geometry diagrams and cross-device cloud sync.
Great work. Have you shared this with the Math Academy folks? I bet they'd love to copy your homework :)
I did a little deep dive into this kind of stuff over the summer. I haven't written it up yet, but I'll share some highlights below.
I realized Anki was optimized for the opposite of the problems I actually had. Anki's optimized to minimize study time. It does this by maximizing difficulty. For me, this means maximizing pain!
I'm not low on time; I'm low on willpower. I need it to be fun and easy! Otherwise, I quit and memory goes to zero. Gwern implies I am typical in this regard; most …
It insightfully analyzes the psychology of spaced repetition, arguing that minimizing friction and cognitive pain is essential for building fluency.
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