The Geometer's Sketchpad

The Geometer’s Sketchpad® is the world’s leading software for teaching mathematics. Sketchpad® gives students at all levels—from third grade through college—a tangible, visual way to learn mathematics that increases their engagement, understanding, and achievement. Make math more meaningful and memorable using Sketchpad.

Elementary students can manipulate dynamic models of fractions, number lines, and geometric patterns. Middle school students can build their readiness for algebra by exploring ratio and proportion, rate of change, and functional relationships through numeric, tabular, and graphical representations. And high school students can use Sketchpad to construct and transform geometric shapes and functions—from linear to trigonometric—promoting deep understanding.

Sketchpad is the optimal tool for interactive whiteboards. Teachers can use it daily to illustrate and illuminate mathematical ideas. Classroom-tested activities are accompanied by presentation sketches and detailed teacher notes, which provide suggestions for use by teachers as a demonstration tool or for use by students in a computer lab or on laptops.

Learn more about Sketchpad in Spark! magazine.

Sketchpad Resources

Already have Sketchpad? Find tutorials, sample activities, and training—everything you need to integrate Sketchpad into your teaching.

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Join our community site to share resources and tips with other Sketchpad users. Register at Key Online to participate.

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Sketchpad Explorer™ for the iPad®

Download a free app that allows you to interact with any Sketchpad document on your iPad.

Learn about Sketchpad Explorer

Why Teach with Sketchpad

Research
Awards
What's New
System Requirements

  • The Geometer’s Sketchpad has its roots in educational research—it began as an NSF-funded research project at Swarthmore College. Read more about Sketchpad’s origins (.pdf) and its development over time, or download one of the articles below.

  • Selected Awards and Honors

    • 2012 Readers' Choice Awards: Honorable Mention, eSchool News
    • 2011 EdTech Digest Awards: Cool Tool Award (Winner), EdTech Digest
    • Top Five Shining Stars 2011 Potential "Game Changers" in Education, EdNet's Best for 2011
    • Award of Excellence: Outstanding Education Technology Software, Technology & Learning magazine
    • 2010 Best Educational Software (BESSIE) Award, ComputED Learning Center
    • Best Educational Software of All Time, Survey of mentor teachers conducted by the Stevens Institute of Technology
    • Best Educational Software, Technology & Learning magazine
    • Best Education Program, Software and Information Industry Association

  • Major improvements to Sketchpad Version 5.04:

    • SMART Board integration: Supports color choices for ink by means of pens or buttons. The Windows version also supports multitouch gestures on newer SMART Boards with the required hardware. The multitouch function allows multiple users to drag objects simultaneously.
    • Flickrementing boxed parameter values: Press inside the edit box of a parameter and drag or flick up or down to adjust the value. The parameter changes by the Keyboard Adjustment value, and continues to change while you keep the button down. For faster adjustments, drag farther up or down; for slower adjustments, drag closer to the edit box you are adjusting. You can use this method whether the parameter is selected or not, provided you have not already begun to edit the number in the edit box.

    • For Version 5:

      Windows system requirements:

      • Pentium-based system or equivalent
      • Windows XP or later
      • 300 MB free disk space
      • Optional: Internet connection*, Adobe® Reader or Adobe Acrobat®

      Macintosh system requirements:

      • PowerPC or Intel-based system
      • Mac OS 10.4 or later
      • 300 MB free disk space
      • Optional: Internet connection*, Adobe® Reader or Adobe Acrobat®

      * An internet connection is required for downloading Sketchpad 5, deregistering Sketchpad 5, and watching Sketchpad Movies.