While the math problems in IXL can get tough, using the system is easy!
If you do not have an IXL account, you can complete up to 20 questions every day, measured in 24-hour periods. It's a great way to try out the system and find out what all the buzz is about. But without an account, IXL does not save your scores and you cannot use the game board or earn awards, so you're not experiencing the real power of the system. You'll need an account for that.
Math practice is designed for child accounts in family memberships and student accounts in educator subscriptions. Teachers and parents can complete math problems in IXL under their accounts, as a way to try out the system and see how it works, but IXL does not save these scores or awards.
Math problems in IXL are categorized by grade/level and skill. Each grade or level category includes numerous skills, appropriately aligned with that grade/level. For example, skills at the first-grade level include counting and comparisons, while skills at the third-grade level include multiplication and long division.
When you enter correct answers, IXL displays the next problem. When you enter wrong answers, IXL displays a window that shows you the correct answer and provides an optional explanation.
If you exit out of a skill without submitting an answer to the current problem, IXL will display the same problem the next time you return to that skill.
IXL tracks the amount of time you spend on a skill during your current session and displays it in the timer on the screen. If you are idle for a period of two minutes or more, the timer pauses, resuming when you become active again. The timer also tracks the total amount of time you spend on each skill, for all sessions, and the total time you spend signed in to IXL. The system displays this information in various reports.
Note: Your parent or teacher may choose to hide the timer. In this case, IXL will not display it on the practice screen, although the software will still track the amount of time you spend practicing.
IXL tracks your success and computes a score based on your results, which it displays on the screen. This is your SmartScore. SmartScore uses IXL's proprietary scoring algorithm to give you the best possible information on your performance, based on such factors as the number of problems completed, number of problems correct and incorrect, problem difficulty, and consistency.
When you begin working on a skill, your initial SmartScore for that skill is zero. When you answer a problem correctly, your score increases. When you enter a wrong answer, your score decreases. SmartScores cannot be lower than zero or higher than 100.
IXL automatically adapts to your proficiency level. When you perform well, IXL presents questions that are progressively more challenging. Similarly, when you are struggling, the level of difficulty of your questions will remain consistent until your score indicates you are ready to move on. This self-paced approach eliminates both boredom and frustration, two frequent obstacles to math achievement.
As you work through a skill, successive accurate answers cause your score to increase in smaller increments. Likewise, your score may decrease only slightly if you enter a wrong answer when you begin working on a skill, but as you progress towards mastery, wrong answers cause your score to decrease in larger and larger dips.
If you leave an answer blank when you submit it, the system treats it like a wrong answer.
IXL also rates your score as Needs Improvement (<70), Satisfactory (70-79), Good (80-89), Excellent (90-99), Mastered (100), and Provisional. A Provisional rating indicates that IXL cannot accurately rate your score because you have answered fewer than 4 problems in that skill. If you have mastered a skill, your rating for that skill remains "Mastered" even if you continue to practice it later and score lower.
IXL awards you medals when you master skills and prizes after you meet certain challenges. These awards are displayed on the Awards tab.
IXL is designed to help students perform successfully on standards exams. Our skills are aligned with the appropriate standards for your location if you are based in the United States. You must first define your location in your profile to use this feature. You can view the standards on the State Standards tab.
Need more help? If you still have questions, contact us at 877-282-4400 x5, or e-mail your question to help@ixl.com.
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