Our keyboards were working fine on iphone app and on the Kindle Fire HD pads earlier this week .... and then on Thursday this function was working sporadically and on Friday (5/19/2017) went away completely ... any idea what is going on?? It is working fine on desktop/laptop.

Hi, we're also having issues with handwriting recognition. Please add the option of keyboard or at least a keypad for math problems.

Thanks

Ann Holtz-Morris

Agreed, it is very frustrating. I'm constantly getting it recognising Z and 2 with each other. Or at least allow the ability to erase just part of the answer, the clear button makes you have to start all over if you get a bad character recognition at the end of your answer.

Yes, please let us use our keyboards or give us a popup calculator-like keypad (similar to what is done for review questions) for the quz answers.

Any update on this. It’s frustrating when you get a question wrong bc the pen interpreted my ‘h’ as an ‘n’. Or one of 100 other misinterpretation. It would be so much easier to use a keyboard or an interface that resembles a scientific calculator. 

I’ve learned a few tricks.

1. To distinguish between z/zed/zee and 2/two, cross the z/zee/zed.

2. Do not use the cursive “y” and “z”. Instead, use the print form for these.

3. But do use the cursive “x”. If you use the print form, it could be interpreted as a plus sign.

4. Radical signs with a superscript designating the root to be taken do not work for me. One other user posted here that using a 3 as the root did work for him or her, but nothing higher worked. For me, using even a 3 doesn’t work. Instead, use the equivalent exponent, such as 1/3. for the cube/third root. If the practice problem specifically requires the radical form for a higher root than you can get recognized (such as where this concept is being taught), you will need to find a way to get the web version of the exercise. If you made it onto here, you can get, via Safari or another browser, to the web version of Khan Academy, so do the practice there.

I need to go do something else, so I’ll post more keyboard hints later.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. However, I have figured out most of these as well. I use a strike through on z and 7, a cursive x, and fractional exponents rather than square root symbol for anything except 2. q, p, g, continue to get mixed up as well as h vs n,  I would rather just type!!  Sometimes ( comes back as capital C and it’s just a hassle. And if I hit the clear button by mistake one more time when doing a long answer on an expansion, I will scream!! A keyboard option would be a big improvement and I hope it is on a future enhancement list!!  But truly, thank you for taking time to reply. 

Yes, I often need to strike through the 7 to distinguish it from a 1. The letter c is also tough when the problem is expecting a lowercase c, my entry is read as a capital C, I forget to verify it, and I get a Try Again. It’s especially frustrating if it is the first or last question in a practice, especially a 7- (or more) question one. I am aiming for an eventual 100% on every practice.

So, to continue my list from above:

5. Cross your 7s/sevens to distinguish them from 1s/ones.

6. Try to make a lowercase “c” fairly small and an uppercase “c” fairly large, with distinct rounding at top and bottom to avoid being confused with an open parenthesis - and inspect its interpretation in both the handwriting box and the box where the entered answer appears before hitting Check.

7. Do not put much rouding on the top and bottom of an open parenthesis to avoid confusioin is a “C” (uppercase or lowercase), and inspect its interpretation in both places before hitting Check.

8. The dot form of the multiplication sign usually doesn’t work for me until I’ve tried it a few times on an entry. Thus, unless this is an Algebra or other exercise where the use of this sign has just been taught and is specifically requested in the answer, use the x symbol or parenthetical expressions where a multiplication sign isn’t even used. I find that these are accepted, even the more elementary x in higher mathematics. Of course, make this a printed x, not cursive, where it could be confused with the letter. If you must enter the dot form, either because it’s required or it’s your preference, enter it as high as you can to avoid getting it confused with a decimal point. Or go into the web version of Khan Academy (you can do this in Safari or other browsers on your tablet if you don’t have access to a computer) and do the practice there.

9. I have never succeeded in getting the division sign (dash with a dots above and below it) recognized on my iPad, and at least one other person has reported this, too. I have found that using the / symbol or fractional form for division usually works. Again, the web version is an alternative if these forms are not accepted for your answer.

10. Do not use the cursive “h” and “k” because they get confused with each other. Use the printed form for them.

11. If you want to get rid of just part of your answer, instead of pressing Clear, scribble over what you want to erase. Sometimes, your scribbling may be mistaken for a new character or characters, so be sure to see what has happened. Also, you will need to be quick on the draw or be prepared to write small, because the handwriting interpreter will compress what remains once the original entry is gone. If we are stuck with the handwriting entry and just one change could be made to it, I suggest a successive Undo, similar with what is available on the scratchpad.

12. Speaking of the scratchpad, make use of it or a handy sheet of paper to write out your answer before entering it in the handwriting area, especially if you answer is long and/or contains a fraction. I find that even before I am done writing, the interpreter starts formatting my entry, sometimes spreading it out and not leaving me enough room to finish my answer. So I need my answer in front of me ahead of time, and I need to type it in quickly to get the whole thing done before the interpretation starts.

If I think of anything else, I’ll post it here.

Correction to #3 in my original list - Printed “x” could be mistaken for a multiplication sign.

Which leads to one more:

13. Use the cursive “t” because the print form could be interprested for a plus sign.

I'm trying to answer an equation with Victorian cursive v but the site wont accept my answer. I tried using as it closer to how the Victorian cursive book but still not accepted. Therefore I can't ever get any equation with cursive v correct.

jhend88888 Are you using Khan Academy on a mobile device, and your only way to enter your answers is in a box on the bottom of the screen in which you enter using handwriting? If so, you are using a version of the Khan Academy that is more than 2 1/2 years old. The handwriting option in the iPad app (and possibly also iPhone and Android apps) was replaced with a keypad entry system in April 2018. I suggest that you go to the Apple App Store or Google Play and update to the latest Khan Academy app for your device.

I realize that you may have a very old device that doesn't support a newer version of the Khan Academy app. In particular, if you are using the Windows version of the app, support was dropped for that a while back. But if you have an Apple or Android device, updating to the latest version for your device should eliminate the need for handwriting entry. (If you are in a school or other environment where you are not authorized to do updates, find someone who can do them to help you on this.)

I am not using the app. I use safari in accessing Khan academy as I allows to work on split screen. I don’t use handwriting I used the keyboard that is pops up at the bottom of the page. However the Victorian style cursive v that is on the page when I use v from the keyboard the looks are very different so the system is not accepting it. It’s not a u either.