MLC Fractions
Product by The Math Learning Center
Facts checked: Not yet checked
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating). This label applies to learning-science judgments throughout this overview.
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating)
MLC Fractions does not teach concepts independently, serving instead as a digital manipulative rather than an instructional tutor. It successfully builds conceptual understanding of fractional relationships through visual representations like bars and circles. However, without guided instruction or built-in feedback, it relies entirely on a teacher or parent to facilitate the learning process.
Pros
- Uses dual visual representations via bars and circles to build flexible mental models of fractions.
- Allows direct manipulation of denominators up to one hundred to demonstrate proportional relationships.
- Provides a distraction-free digital environment without gamification elements that split cognitive attention.
Cons
- Lacks any structured learning pathways, direct instruction, or worked examples to guide novice learners.
- Provides zero automated feedback on correctness, making independent practice impossible.
- Offers no spaced retrieval practice or built-in assessments to measure conceptual mastery over time.
What Do We Know About MLC Fractions?
MLC Fractions is effective only when used alongside direct instruction from an adult, as it is a digital sandbox rather than a standalone teaching tool. Parents should understand that this application will not teach your child how to add, subtract, or compare fractions on its own. Instead, it provides digital manipulatives like fraction bars and circles that make abstract math concepts concrete. Cognitive science shows that visual representations help reduce cognitive load when students first encounter complex topics. Your child can select different denominators, color in segments, and overlay shapes to visually prove that two-fourths equals one-half. Because there are no built-in lessons, quizzes, or feedback mechanisms, you must guide your child through practice problems or use it as a companion to their school homework. The interface is completely free of gamification, which prevents the split-attention effect commonly found in flashy educational games. While The Learning Standard has not yet fully evaluated this application against our pedagogical framework, its utility as a pure visualization tool is strong provided you actively direct the learning session.
How Does MLC Fractions Work?
MLC Fractions functions strictly as an open-ended digital manipulative environment rather than a mastery-based instructional platform. Upon opening the application, users select either a bar or a circle and determine the denominator by defining the total number of equal parts. Students then tap sections of the shape to fill them with color, creating a visual representation of a specific fraction. The core mechanic relies on the user actively building models to compare sizes, identify equivalent fractions, or visualize basic operations like addition and subtraction. Learners can superimpose one transparent fraction model over another to directly compare proportions and prove equivalence. The app includes basic annotation tools, allowing users to write equations or draw directly on the screen next to their models. It relies entirely on constructivist exploration directed by an external curriculum or teacher, as the software contains no algorithms to adjust difficulty, track progress, or supply correct answers.
Strengths and tradeoffs of MLC Fractions
The biggest strength of MLC Fractions is its ability to reduce intrinsic cognitive load through clear visual modeling, while its biggest weakness is the complete absence of corrective feedback. Visualizing Abstract Concepts is handled exceptionally well. By allowing students to build and overlay fraction bars or circles, the app bridges the gap between symbolic numerals and actual quantities. This aligns with the concrete-representational-abstract instructional sequence, giving learners a strong mental model before they manipulate numbers on paper. Absence of Direct Instruction severely limits its use for independent study. Novice learners benefit most from worked examples and guided practice, neither of which are present here. Zero Retrieval Practice means the app cannot help solidify long-term memory. Since there are no problem sets or quizzes, students cannot test their knowledge or experience the spacing effect necessary for durable learning. Focused Interface serves as a distinct advantage for attention. Without points, timers, or animated characters, the application prevents the split-attention effect, ensuring that the student's working memory is entirely dedicated to the mathematical task at hand.
Who Might Benefit From MLC Fractions?
Best for elementary and middle school students who need visual support while working through math homework with an adult. It serves as an excellent digital replacement for physical fraction tiles in a classroom setting or at the kitchen table. Parents looking for an app to independently tutor their child will find it unhelpful, as it requires the adult to provide the problems and verify the answers. It is highly effective for visual learners struggling to grasp abstract concepts like common denominators or equivalent fractions, provided an educator is actively guiding the interaction.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
MLC Fractions does not meet our data transparency standard. Its privacy policy does not document basic protections, including limits on sharing children's data, a COPPA or FERPA commitment and parents' right to see their child's data.
14 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated September 2026
Apps Privacy Statement →Level 1 · Basic protections
Does not sell data or target ads at students, limits sharing, and lets parents see and delete their child's data.
Not documented: limits on sharing children's data, a COPPA or FERPA commitment, parents' right to see their child's data, parents' right to delete their child's data
Level 2 · Parent control (meets the standard)
Families can get their data out, know who processes it, and know how long it is kept.
Not documented: self-service deletion
Level 3 · Direct data access
Families or schools can pull their own data through an API, in a stated format.
Not documented: an API for retrieving their own data, a named export format
View all 35 checks
Parent Access0/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
The policy does not mention parents.
Can parents view their child's data?
The policy does not address parents viewing their child's data.
Can parents modify their child's data?
The policy does not address parents modifying their child's data.
Can parents delete their child's account?
The policy does not address parents deleting their child's data or account.
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
The policy has no section dedicated to children's privacy.
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
The policy does not reference COPPA.
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
The policy does not reference FERPA.
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
The policy does not address parental consent for child accounts.
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“If you wish to access, correct, update, or request deletion of your personal information, you can do so at any time as described in the “Updating & Correcting Personal Information” heading below.”
Can users download/export their data?
“In addition, you can object to processing of your personal information, ask us to restrict processing of your personal information, or request portability of your personal information. You can exercise these rights by contacting us at MLCinfo@mathlearningcenter.org.”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
The policy says access and correction requests are made by email, not through a self-service tool.
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy does not name an export format.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy does not describe an API for data access.
Data Minimization3/6
Is data collection itemized?
“the information collected on the Website may consist of information including, but not limited to, your full name; home or business address; billing address; phone number; fax number; email address;”
Can the app be used without a real name?
“We will never ask you to provide us with your or someone else’s personal information in order to access, or while you are using, the Apps.”
Can the app be used without an email?
“We will never ask you to provide us with your or someone else’s personal information in order to access, or while you are using, the Apps.”
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
The policy explains why it collects data and on what legal basis, but does not state that collection is limited to what is necessary.
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy says IP addresses are collected and does not say they are anonymized or truncated.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy says aggregated regional location data is collected and does not rule out location tracking.
Third-Party Protection5/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“Except in the limited circumstances stated in this Privacy Statement, we do not share, sell, or otherwise transfer or disclose your personal information to any third party.”
Are third-party providers named?
“Google Analytics™ and Apple® Analytics automatically collect certain usage and performance data from our Website and App users.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“These third parties are required to keep the information confidential and are not authorized to process your personal information or Automatically Collected Information for any other purpose other than as instructed by us.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
“We do not use any advertising, targeting, or marketing cookies on our Website or Apps.”
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
The policy does not address AI or machine learning.
Child-specific sharing restriction?
The policy has no sharing restriction specific to children.
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies, though the methods for doing so may vary from browser to browser.”
Deletion & Retention3/5
Can users delete their account?
“If you request that your personal information be changed or deleted from our databases, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to remove your personal information from our databases”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
The policy says deletion is handled by email request, not through a self-service tool.
Specific data retention timeline?
“Currently, Save States are set to automatically delete after two years from their last date of access.”
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy auto-deletes Save States after two years without access but does not describe auto-deletion of inactive accounts.
Post-deletion handling described?
“When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete it or anonymize it, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.”
Advertising1/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
The policy says no advertising cookies are used but does not state whether the product shows ads or describe an advertising model.
Free from third-party advertisements?
The policy says no advertising cookies are used but does not explicitly state that the product has no third-party ads.
Children excluded from ad targeting?
“We do not use any advertising, targeting, or marketing cookies on our Website or Apps.”
Ad-free option available?
The policy does not explicitly state that the product is ad-free or offers an ad-free option.
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Apps Privacy Statement against 35 policy-disclosure questions, including questions adapted from the Common Sense Privacy Program's published evaluation questions. TLS is not affiliated with Common Sense Media, and this is not a Common Sense rating. Quoted text is copied from the policy; unquoted notes are our summary. Results describe what the policy documents, not the company's actual practices. Privacy policies can change: this review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how MLC Fractions works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About MLC Fractions
Is MLC Fractions free?
Yes, MLC Fractions is completely free to use. The Math Learning Center provides this tool without any subscriptions, in-app purchases, or advertisements, making it highly accessible for both school and home environments.
Is MLC Fractions good for elementary students?
Yes, MLC Fractions is excellent for elementary students when guided by an adult. It helps young learners visualize parts of a whole, which is a critical developmental step before moving into complex abstract arithmetic.
What does MLC Fractions teach?
MLC Fractions does not explicitly teach anything independently. Instead, it provides the visual tools necessary for a parent or teacher to explain fraction equivalence, comparison, addition, subtraction, and basic proportional reasoning.
How does MLC Fractions compare to Khan Academy?
MLC Fractions is a single-purpose digital sandbox, whereas Khan Academy is a comprehensive, mastery-based instructional platform. Khan Academy guides children through structured lessons with built-in feedback and spaced retrieval practice, while MLC Fractions requires an adult to supply the problems and direct the instruction.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated MLC Fractions?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well MLC Fractions teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and does not yet document the basic protections (Level 1).
Is MLC Fractions COPPA compliant?
A COPPA reference was not found in the reviewed privacy policy. This does not determine whether the app complies with COPPA. Policy review note: The policy does not reference COPPA.
Is MLC Fractions FERPA compliant?
A FERPA reference was not found in the reviewed privacy policy. This does not determine whether the app complies with FERPA. Policy review note: The policy does not reference FERPA.
Does MLC Fractions have a children's privacy policy?
No dedicated children's privacy section was found in the reviewed policy. Policy review note: The policy has no section dedicated to children's privacy.
Does MLC Fractions sell student data?
The reviewed policy states that the app does not sell data. This is a policy statement; actual data practices were not verified. Policy review note: The policy states MLC does not sell personal information.
Can you delete your data from MLC Fractions?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: Users can request deletion of their personal information.
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