OpenlySolved - Maths is no problem at this website

NTU lecturer offers worked-out solutions at no cost to users
By Sarah Giam, The Straits Times, 9 Apr 2012

LECTURER Lee Chu Keong has worked out a way to help children whose families struggle to afford maths tutors.

The 46-year-old set up a website to provide free help after reading in the papers about the hefty monthly tuition fees that some parents fork out.

Called OpenlySolved, it differs from typical maths textbooks because it provides the fully worked-out solutions rather than simply the answers.

The Nanyang Technological University lecturer, a Malaysian who has more than 20 years of teaching experience and personally coached his daughters in the subject, said he was grateful for the opportunity to have studied in Singapore and felt the need to give back to society here.

He was also moved to read about the estimated 70,000 students who go to school with no pocket money.

The permanent resident, who teaches knowledge management and information studies, said his site cannot replace tuition.

'However, I hope to reduce students' reliance on it,' he added. 'Many parents get tutors not because of need, but just as a guard against bad results - they're spending a disproportionate amount of time and money on it.'

He first uploaded maths solutions on his personal website six years ago, but set up OpenlySolved in January with technical help from two of his postgraduate students.

The site - which carries no advertisements and can be found at www.openlysolved.org - is updated every week with solutions for anything from one question to an entire topic. Four of his students offered their help last month, but the lecturer has been too busy with school commitments to get back to them. For the same reason, the site does not have a complete set of solutions yet.

Despite that, it already has a following of more than 1,000 members.

Anglican High School Secondary 2 student Cheryl Chia, who calls maths her 'worst subject', said: 'It's very hard to begin tackling questions in textbooks I'm unsure of, as no working is provided. This website can help with that, as the solutions are easy to understand.'

Mrs M.L. Kiang, who heard about Openly-Solved while talking to Dr Lee's wife about her daughter's struggle to master maths, was pleasantly surprised by the lecturer's generosity in providing the solutions for free.

She found the collaborative nature of the site refreshing, citing Dr Lee's request for members to discuss the solutions on the forum provided, or even volunteer some of their own.

Cheryl's aunt, Ms Doreen Cheah, also found the site useful, but said students needed to be self-disciplined and not copy the answers provided.

Mr Tay Yong Hwee, a maths teacher at Cedar Girls' Secondary School, agrees. 'Perhaps the site should provide just the crucial steps, and allow students to figure out the remaining ones themselves.'

He explained that teachers usually prompt students in class in a similar way. 'Though there are no explanations, the solutions are good as a guide for students.'