TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

At one point, students could use only pencil and paper to solve complex math problems. Then calculators and graphing calculators came along. Now there's TC-Stats, an application for the iPad that math professors and students are calling a breakthrough in math-solving technology.

And it's the brainchild of Taft College math professor Brian Jean. It's being used in statistics classes and selling throughout the world, with proceeds going to student scholarships.

"Without a doubt, this is the most powerful data analysis program out there for the iPad," Jean said. "I think this will go viral."

The app -- which easily creates graphs, charts and formulas out of data -- was recently approved by Apple for use. It costs $3.99, with half of the proceeds going to the programmers, half to student scholarships.

And students deserve it, Jean said. They tested the app last semester using iPads the college bought with grant money.

His math classes have used graphing calculators for years. Those could not handle large amounts of data, had minimal memory and were "clumsy," Jean said.

The iPads are fast, intuitive and have plenty of memory.

Perhaps the best feature lets students who have an iPad do research and work anywhere, anytime, Jean said. His students don't have to go to a lab with computers that have graphing software capabilites.

Taft College has in recent years been called one of the most innovative educational institutions in the nation. In 2009 it received a $5 million grant for its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program, or STEM -- then the largest STEM grant of its kind.

The college purchased dozens of iPod Touches, iPads, radio telescopes, laptops and chemistry equipment.

Jean compared two of his classes taught the same way -- one with iPads and the app, the other where students used graphing calculators. Students in the class with the iPads did dramatically better, he said.

About 200 have sold so far in the United States, Italy, Australia, United Kingdom and other places, Jean said. The app was programmed by Quicksilver Software Inc., based in Irvine.

David Meyers, a math professor at Bakersfield College, said he is also hoping to get a grant to purchase a class set of iPads and be able to use Jean's app in his classes.

Meyers said the app was superior to any other math tool out now. It may one day replace costly textbooks for students if they are able to rent iPads, for example.

"It's very good," Meyers said. "It's a great leap forward."

Jean and Meyers are working together to add an e-textbook component to use with the app. A print version is now available.

Students use the app to gather "real world data." For example they conducted surveys and gathered some 3,000 entries including people's income, education levels, hours worked per week and more.

The app created a visual representation of gender and income comparisons. It could then calculate probabilities and other numerical analysis.

Jordan Mead, who took Jean's statistics class last semester, said the app was easier to use than graphing calculators, and allowed her to visualize numbers and data in detailed graphs.

Gabriel Gonzalez, another Taft College student, said it helped him get an "A" in the class. As long as students learn the terminology, using the app is a piece of cake, he said.

"It really did help a lot," Gonzalez said.

Jean will present the app to fellow professionals at the International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics at Walt Disney World Resort.