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This question can seem strange. If you didn't develop such program - then do it!
However, we did develop a Solver. All programs of our complex are designed based on symbolic algorithms. This means that our programs are capable "to solve" math examples. The solution is not stored in any format on a hard disk; on the contrary, the program generates solution during work and projects it to the screen. On this basis, by just adding an editor for examples entry, we obtain the problem-solving program. We have done this, as the idea seemed very attractive. Apart from this romantic drive, the pragmatical interest worked as well.
There are a number of apparent advantages of Solver for the developers: As the user enters his own example, there is no need for us to create the database, to write generators of examples, to create systems of search and so on. However, when we have started testing our Solver, we were bitterly disappointed. Not because the program worked badly - it worked OK. The problems came when the users appeared on the scene.
We understood at once that Solver was an abortive project. Why? Look, the training program must teach problem-solving skills. The keyword here is "teach". The user does not know math. Since he does not know math - he does not know what kind of skills he has to train and what kind of examples he has to solve. To use Solver, the user has to take an example somewhere, then he has to make efforts to enter this example into computer, and still further, he has to know which method of solution to apply. Such knowledgeable user does not exist I am afraid.
Thus, we found ourselves in a vicious circle: the program is intended for teaching, but to use the program effectively, the user should already know plenty of things we are going to teach him. For some time we resisted and tried to improve the program. We introduced an input by analogy, the structured editors, and the lists with solution methods and so on. However, the truth is that Solver is stillborn as a training program. It is sad to attend funerals.
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