Frequently Asked Questions

What does MyLab Math offer my students?

With MyLab Math, your students can:

  • Practice and learn mathematics and statistics when and where they want, and at their own pace.
  • Work through unlimited tutorial exercises correlated to the exercises in their textbook and get immediate feedback on their answers.
  • Receive a personalized study plan to diagnose areas where they need to practice.
  • Access a multimedia textbook with links to learning aids, such as animations and videos.
  • Use online tools, such as a discussion board or virtual classroom, to communicate with you and other students.
  • Feel as if they have their own personal tutor, always available, and dedicated to their success.

What does MyLab Math offer me as an instructor?

  • Deliver all or a portion of your course online, whether your course is based in a lab, in a traditional classroom, or taught in a hybrid format.
  • Create and assign online homework, quizzes and tests that are automatically graded and tightly correlated to your textbook.
  • Manage your students' results in a powerful online gradebook designed specifically for Mathematics and Statistics.
  • Customize your course as much or as little as you like, depending on your syllabus and your students' needs.
  • Use a variety of communication tools to create a supportive online community for your students.

How will using MyLab Math save me time?

MyLab Math will automatically grade online homework assignments and track all student results, so you can spend less time grading and more time teaching. By using the gradebook to keep your students' results, you can quickly assess how individual students -- or the class as a whole -- are progressing with specific topics. You can then use this information to adjust your lectures or syllabus, or intervene as soon as you see a student start to struggle.

Does MyLab Math work on Macs as well as PCs?

In addition to supporting Internet Explorer, the Flash-based MathXL Player v2 supports Firefox on Windows (XP and Vista) and Safari and Firefox on the Macintosh as well as the PC.

How do I learn how to set up my MyLab Math course?

There are several training resources available to help you get started with MyLab Math, including videos, online training, and in-person training. Visit our Training Options page to see what is available.

Is MyLab Math difficult for students to use?

Not at all. Most students are very used to working online, and the navigation within MyLab Math is very intuitive. In addition, most newer courses include an Orientation assignment that helps students get started and become familiar with how to enter answers in the Player, use the palette, and work with the Grapher.

How long will students have access to my course?

Students can access the course for as long as you make it available. You specify a Course End Date when you create the course (and can modify it later).

How do students use MyLab Math in the second semester of a course, even if it is a different instructor?

As long as the course is based on the same edition of the same textbook, students can re-enroll in the second semester without a new access code and at no additional cost.

Do I have to do anything for my students to have access to my MyLab Math course?

Yes. When you create your course, you will select enrollment and course duration dates, which control when students can access your course. After you create your course, you need to give students your course ID (generated by Pearson MyLab), which they’ll use to enroll in your MyLab Math course. Once they are in the course, students can use the program for self-study if they wish, but most instructors feel that students get more out of the program when they are required to use it.

What if my students do not have Internet access at home?

Students can log into MyLab Math from a school computer in a lab or library, print out their online homework assignment, and work through the assignment on paper. They can then enter the answers in MyLab Math when they are next on campus. Make sure the computers in any labs where your students will be using MyLab Math have been set up with the appropriate plug-ins and players.

What if I don't cover all the chapters in the textbook?

You can easily hide or remove chapters, sections, and other resources you don't plan to use from your MyLab Math course.

Can I assign my student a section of the ebook to read before beginning their homework?

Yes, media learning aids such as videos, animations, or ebook pages are assignable in MyLab Math. And these media assignments can be selected as prerequisites to other assignments.

Can I hide course content from my students without deleting it from the course?

Yes, you can make course content invisible to your students by clicking the "modify" link above the left navigation panel.

How do I find the instructor resources in MyLab Math?

In most courses, an Instructor Resources button in the left navigation panel brings up the available instructor resources.

Can I create my own algorithmic exercises in MyLab Math?

Yes, you can use the MathXL Exercise Builder available in most MyLab Math courses to create your own custom algorithmic exercises, and you can include these exercises on homework assignments, quizzes, and tests.

What if I feel that some of your exercises need to be changed?

Available from the Homework Manager, the "Ask the Publisher" button lets you send comments, questions, or requests about the content of questions directly to Pearson. If you would like to change or remove some parts of an exercise, you can do this by editing our exercises using the MathXL Exercise Builder.

Can I create my own tests for students to take in MyLab Math?

Yes. Each MyLab Math course contains sample chapter tests you can modify, or you can create your own tests using an online testbank of items correlated to the exercises in your textbook. You can also upload TestGen tests into your MathXL course.

Can I export grades from the MyLab Math gradebook and use them in my spreadsheet program?

Yes. The MyLab Math gradebook allows you to export the data in a comma separated value (.csv) file format, and you can open the .csv file in a spreadsheet program.

Can students get temporary access to MyLab Math?

Yes, when registering at www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com, select the option for “Temporary Access” at the bottom of the payment page. Follow the directions for access to the product for 14 days, and keep the emails that explain how to pay for access for the duration of your course.

How do students change from temporary access to full access?

Students should log into their course using their current account and click the link to upgrade their access. Or, they can locate the email they received when they originally obtained temporary access and follow the instructions there. For more information, see Change Temporary Access to Full Access.