Crafty Cut
© 2017 Touch Press Games
Future diamond cutters (and current math teachers), take note of this app. It lets you use your favorite finger to slice common 3D geometric forms into new forms, to try to make a target shape. You can see how a rectangle is inside of a cylinder when sliced in half, and so on. The process forces you to think about the spatial relationships as you explore the relationship between 2D and 3D geometry. The more you play, the more levels you unlock, until you hit a paywall. There are four modes: Cut Mode (slice to reveal 2D shapes from 3D blocks); Rotate Mode (race against the clock as you explore objects from every angle); Combine Mode (combine 3D fragments to create complete geometric shapes) and Create Mode (sculpt shapes out of different materials like jade, clay, plastic and oak. Other materials cost). Conceptually this is an extremely strong app, and it should be considered by any parent, teacher or librarian -- especially elementary and middle school math teachers. Need to know: Besides the paywall, the background music is interesting -- at first -- but may get annoying. There could be a better hint system. This app uses IAP, so be careful. You can either purchase the full version of the app for $8, or subscribe to all Touch Press Games for $5/month, which is billed automatically through your iTunes account. This game was originally part of Amplify.
$-8, iPad
Teaches: math, geometry in Spanish or English
CTR Rating: 84%