Phone + app = maths genius

It's every maths student's dream smartphone application, but the new PhotoMath app won't be solving any equations when matric pupils write their first maths paper on Friday.

In just seconds, the free mobile app, recently launched by MicroBlink, London, solves problems and equations using a smartphone camera and optical character-recognition technology.

PhotoMath is available from iTunes.

Each answer is given with a guide that shows how a particular solution strategy was arrived at.