Calculation Triangle vs Number Pieces, by MLC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Calculation Triangle
This virtual manipulative helps develop flexible arithmetic thinking. Users can create puzzles, model problems, and explore number relationships by adding, moving, and hiding tokens within a calculation triangle.
- Virtual calculation triangle manipulative
- Token manipulation for arithmetic
- Create and solve number puzzles
- Hide/show fields and numbers
- Shake to clear the triangle
- Explore number relationships
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This virtual manipulative encourage the development of flexible arithmetic thinking. Watch a video of the app: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN3b20F6UC8 A calculation triangle is splited into three fields. Each field can contain tokens. On each edge the sum of the two corresponding fields is written. And this is how it works: Touch with you fingers on a field to produce tokens and move them from one field to another. Move tokens out of the triangle to delete them. Close the shutter to hide a field. If you swipe over a number you can hide it or show it again. Shake the calculation triangle to emty it. This virtual manipulative does not include tasks. But you can use this app to create puzzle problems for a learning partner or to model and solve existing tasks. Here are some exemples for good tasks to effectively work with this app: Find the missing numbers? Figure out how many tokens are on the hidden field? How do the numbers change, if you ... ... add/remove one (two, three, ...) token to each field? ... move one (two, three, ...) token from one field to another? ... add one token to two of the three fields? ... Is it possible to have three odd numbers? Why (not)? Is there a relationship between the sum of the numbers and the total quanitiy of tokens on the fields? Is it possible to produce any numbers or are there restrictions?
Number Pieces, by MLC
This app helps students grasp place value and computation with multi-digit numbers using interactive visual tools. Users can manipulate number pieces to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, fostering a deeper mathematical understanding.
- Manipulate ones, tens, and hundreds pieces
- Regroup pieces (e.g., 10 ones to 1 ten)
- Measure array dimensions with an edge piece
- Use drawing and text tools for annotations
- Zoom, scroll, and hide/reveal work
- Share work via image save or share code
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Number Pieces helps students develop a deeper understanding of place value while building their computation skills with multi-digit numbers. Students use the number pieces to represent multi-digit numbers, regroup, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. FEATURES • Add and manipulate pieces (ones, tens, and hundreds). • Change the starting set of pieces to a basic or an advanced set. • Join pieces in groups of ten or break them apart (e.g., 10 ones into 1 ten and vice versa). • Use the expanding edge piece like a measuring tape to show the dimensions of arrays created with the pieces. • Choose from three different colors to clearly identify groups or pieces. • Move, rotate, and duplicate pieces individually or as a group. • Use the drawing tools to label representations and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Zoom and scroll to work with larger collections of pieces. • Hide and reveal work with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. MORE APPS For more Number Pieces resources and other apps, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps LEARN MORE To learn about Bridges in Mathematics, an elementary curriculum that employs visual models like number pieces, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges/overview ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Number Pieces was made possible by a generous donation from Dr. David Moursund. This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us: www.clarity-innovations.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Number Pieces, by MLC at 88% against Calculation Triangle's 30%. Number Pieces, by MLC also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.0 vs 3.0). Calculation Triangle's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 14.7). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Number Pieces, by MLC is free to download; Calculation Triangle costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Number Pieces, by MLC holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Number Pieces, by MLC has 19 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Calculation Triangle's written reviews are positive against 88% of Number Pieces, by MLC's.
Calculation Triangle ships an update every 21 months, Number Pieces, by MLC every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Calculation Triangle | Number Pieces, by MLC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) | 4.0 (19 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 19 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | Every 9 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 14.7 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christian Urff | The Math Learning Center |
Customer experience
Calculation Triangle
Number Pieces, by MLC
In-app purchases
Calculation Triangle
No in-app purchases
Number Pieces, by MLC
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Calculation Triangle free?
Is Number Pieces, by MLC free?
Which has better reviews, Calculation Triangle or Number Pieces, by MLC?
Do Calculation Triangle or Number Pieces, by MLC have ads?
Which is updated more often, Calculation Triangle or Number Pieces, by MLC?
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