Times Table Quiz

Quiz to help primary students master maths times tables. UK OFSTED inspectors say times tables key to good maths

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Inspiration

  • Help primary school students master maths times tables through quiz in a simple and fun way
  • Help busy parents by sparing them time from kids requests to ask them times tables questions
  • Also helps adults hone their mental maths and multiplication skills (Even kids can play this)
  • UK OFSTED Inspectors say Times table key to good maths

What is it

It is Custom Skill for Alexa enabled devices (echo, echo dot, echo show, echo show dot, etc). Alexa enabled devices uses Voice User Interface (VUI). VUI allows people to use voice input to control computers and devices. With VUIs fast-evolving, voice is poised to be the next major disruption in computing. It accelerates kids learning since its more accessible to them.

What it does

It is a quiz which ask questions based on times tables There are 10 questions. The tables used are 2 to 12 (times 1 to 12) Questions are randomly picked from these tables. After answer for each question, it will indicate the correctness, the correct answer (if wrong) and also the score

How I built it

I built it with nodejs and ASK (Alexa Skills Kit) using Visual Studio Code and AWS Lambda services. Used AWS Cloudwatch for debugging. SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) is used to exclaim the quiz question results. Cards are used and will display on echo show and other display devices like FireTV)

Challenges I ran into

Had problems while using SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language).

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • I had problems with Speech Output using SSML. But narrowed it to time of ending sessions. So built a workaround and made SSML work. This skill has been tested by my daughter who is in year 3. Also had to take care of output to cards (they should not include SSML).
  • This skill has been found useful by daughter who is in primary school.
  • Her school is also interested in exploring this!

What I learned

I learnt some of the new changes done in ASK. Using SSML, cards, YES & NO built in intents.

What's next for Times Table Quiz

  • Include skill level so that younger kids will get tables of 2, 5, 10 and higher levels will get more
  • Store the level and advance to higher levels automatically
  • Add hints and techniques to practice times tables.
  • Move from cards to Display templates.

How to enable this skill?

Before using you have to enable this skill for your device.

  • Open the Alexa app, go to the menu, and select Skills. Or, go to the Alexa Skills store on the Amazon website: https://amazon.co.uk/skills https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078WFJ9CK
  • Search for RajeevGM and look for Times Table Quiz (submitted for certification and expected to be in store soon)
  • Select or Click on Times Table Quiz to open the skills detail page. Then select the Enable Skill option.

How to use this skill?

Before using you have to enable this skill for your device. After you enable a skill, you can ask Alexa to open and use it – just say, "Alexa, open Times Table Quiz."

Demos, Trailer and Skill Reference

This browser does not support PDFs. Please download the PDF to view it: Download PDF.

Which Voice commands can be used ?

  • To get help say help
  • To restart quiz say new quiz
  • To hear the question again say repeat
  • To say you don't know the answer or to go to next question say Don't know or Next Question
  • To end quiz say end quiz

Importance of learning times tables

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