I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not all that great with math and science. That said, I still appreciate all of the concepts and how logic must be used to understand and solve them.
With that in mind, I’ve found myself really liking the new Brilliant app, which challenges users with a variety of entertaining and educational math and science-based quizzes.
To start, Brilliant is very accessible to people of all skill levels. After registering an account, the app prompts you to select a category that best describes you, with choices ranging from students, post-graduates, teachers or even just someone looking to keep an active mind.
From there, you have the choice of working through a wide assortment of topics, including algebra, geometry, number theory, basic mathematics, logic and quantitative finance. While some of those may sound daunting, Brilliant does a great job of quizzing you in a fun and accessible way.
Beyond being able to choose between “Basic,” “Intermediate” and “Advanced” questions, I appreciated that Brilliant also presents its quizzes through a simple aesthetic filled with charming drawings. Brilliant also isn’t afraid to get a little nerdy with its questions, with some focusing on somewhat fantastical characters like werewolves, pirates and Merlin the wizard. At any time, you can choose to view the solution and Brilliant will offer you an in-depth walkthrough to get to the answer.
Brilliant also has a rotating “Problems of the Week” series to encourage regular use. This is where the Brilliant community comes into play, as you can see how many users are currently tackling a weekly problem and discuss it with them. You can view some of the most notable problems and informative wiki pages, as chosen by other users.
While I can’t say I fully understand many of the quizzes found in the Brilliant app, I nevertheless am having a great time with it. It’s encouraging me to spend a little less time on social media and instead challenge myself with more engaging and relevant subjects. You’ll learn something new everyday.
Brilliant can be downloaded for free on Android and iOS or accessed through the web. Note that while many of the quizzes are available from the get-go, there are some hidden behind a premium subscription (starting at $12.08 CAD/month).
