How completing photo-based tasks transformed learning: 8 AI assistants for school students and college students

Point your camera at the equation — and get a ready-made solution with explanations. It sounds like science fiction, but by 2025, this is already everyday reality. Modern neural networks have learned to recognize both printed and handwritten texts, mathematical formulas, and complex diagrams, instantly offering a complete breakdown of the task from a photo. Optical recognition technology combined with powerful artificial intelligence models has turned an ordinary smartphone into a virtual tutor working 24/7. This is especially valuable when preparing for exams and doing homework.

But which service to choose among dozens of options? Let’s figure out which platforms best handle turning a photo of a problem into a detailed solution.

Specialized Math Solvers

Photomath — a leader in mobile apps for quick problem solving. Point your camera at an example — and get not just an answer, but a full step-by-step calculation chain. The service supports arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and basic calculus. Feature: beautiful visualization of formulas and offering alternative methods of solution. Main downside — narrow specialization only in mathematics, and a full breakdown requires a paid subscription.

Mathway — a competitor to Photomath with its own approach. Allows you to point the camera at a problem or manually enter the condition. Covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics. The interface is intuitive even for younger students, but the free version hides intermediate steps. Like Photomath, it works better with printed text than with sprawling handwriting.

Symbolab — a platform for more ambitious users. Can solve integrals, differential equations, and series expansions. Offers an unusual approach: detailed explanations of each step, from simple operations to rigorous proofs. The site also includes embedded notes, exercises, and reference materials. Suitable for senior students and university level.

Universal Platforms for Different Subjects

MathGPT — a service that has gone beyond just math. Upload a photo or enter the condition — and the neural network will analyze problems in physics, chemistry, or mathematics. The process is free and requires no registration. Each solution is accompanied by graphs, diagrams, and step-by-step calculations. Drawback: interface in English (although the neural network itself understands Russian).

Gauth AI — an assistant that started with math and physics, now covering biology, economics, languages, and other subjects. Photo input of equations, support for text conditions, detailed explanations — all make Gauth a convenient choice for comprehensive exam preparation.

Powerful Computational Systems

Wolfram|Alpha — not just a solver, but an entire computational system capable of working with hundreds of mathematical and scientific topics. From basic algebra to advanced mathematics, physics, chemistry, and statistics — the platform creates graphs, solves complex equations, and generates step-by-step proofs. Main flaw: photo recognition is only available in the paid Pro version; free mode requires text input.

Nano Banana Pro (Google DeepMind based on Gemini 3 Pro) — the newest system on this list. Originally positioned as an image generator and editor, but its analytical capabilities allow recognizing and solving math problems from photos. The system can reproduce the answer in the same handwriting as the original record or format the solution as an infographic. Especially effective with text in images — outputs coherent text in multiple languages.

Aggregator Platforms with Multiple Models

BotHub — a platform that brings together ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other leading AI models under one roof. Advantage: versatility and continuous updates with new versions of GPT and Gemini. The interface is convenient for uploading task files and dialoguing with the selected model. The free plan offers 100,000 “caps” for several requests; paid plans provide millions of caps for a few dollars a month. Suitable for math, development, and creative work.

How to Choose a Tool for Solving from a Photo

For school math (algebra, geometry, basic calculus), Photomath, Mathway, or Symbolab are optimal — they provide quick and understandable breakdowns.

For physics and chemistry, choose MathGPT, Gauth, or Wolfram|Alpha, which specialize in these disciplines.

For higher mathematics and scientific calculations, Wolfram|Alpha and Symbolab offer powerful tools.

If you need versatility — BotHub, Gauth, and new generative models (ChatGPT 5.2, Gemini 3 Pro, Claude Sonnet 4.5) can solve problems in almost any subject thanks to their extensive knowledge and flexibility.

Ultimately, solving a problem from a photo using these services is not just about getting an answer. It’s about understanding the process, receiving detailed explanations, and saving time on routine calculations. The choice depends on your needs: narrow specialization or broad coverage, free access or willingness to pay for full functionality.