Math-U-See Tutor Online: Live Help From Delta to Algebra 1

The short answer

Math-U-See is a mastery-based math curriculum from Demme Learning with 13 levels named by Greek letters and subjects, from Primer through Calculus, taught with integer blocks, a lesson video and a Build, Write, Say routine. A Math-U-See tutor works live with the student on the current lesson, especially from Delta to Algebra 1. Modern Age Coders runs these lessons live online in its Algebra Foundations course, as a group batch or 1-on-1, and the first class costs nothing.

Courses that sit beside the levels

Live courses picked for Math-U-See students

Your child keeps the Math-U-See book, blocks and video. These classes add a teacher who asks them to explain.

MUS / 01

Algebra foundations

For Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1: negatives, solving for the unknown, graphing and factoring.

Open the syllabus →

MUS / 02

Middle school math

For Epsilon and Zeta: fractions, decimals, percents and ratio.

Open the syllabus →

MUS / 03

Elementary math

For Gamma and Delta: multiplication facts, long division and place value.

Open the syllabus →

The levels

What are the Math-U-See levels, in order?

Math-U-See names its levels with Greek letters and subjects rather than grades. Demme Learning says the curriculum "consists of 13 levels, building from an introduction to mathematics through calculus."

Math-U-See curriculum sequence as published on mathusee.com (checked 31 October 2026), with a note from our teachers on each
Level	Subject, in Demme Learning's words	What we often see at this level
Primer	An Introduction to Mathematics	Counting, place value with blocks, first addition
Alpha	Single-Digit Addition & Subtraction	Facts that must become automatic before Beta
Beta	Multiple-Digit Addition & Subtraction	Regrouping, which blocks make visible
Gamma	Single & Multiple-Digit Multiplication	Times tables as rectangles
Delta	Single & Multiple-Digit Division	Long division and remainders
Epsilon	Fractions	Equivalent fractions and common denominators
Zeta	Decimals & Percents	Place value to the right of the point
Pre-Algebra	Negative Numbers, Order of Operations, and Solving for the Unknown	The first level where symbols lead
Algebra 1	Graphing, Simultaneous Equations, Exponents, Polynomials, and Unit Multipliers	Two editions; see below
Geometry	Points, Lines, Planes, Angles, Circles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Pythagorean Theorem, Conic Sections, and Proofs	Proof is a new kind of writing
Algebra 2	Factoring Polynomials, Quadratic Formula, and Graphing Conic Sections	Heavy factoring practice pays off
PreCalculus	with Trigonometry, Identities, Polar Equations, Logarithms, Sequences, Limits, and Other Topics to Prepare for Calculus	Functions as a single language
Calculus	Derivatives, Integrals, Calculus Applications, and Differential Equations	Built on secure algebra

Why letters, not grades

Demme Learning explains the naming directly: "Using Greek letters for levels instead of age or grade ensures that students can build strength where needed and progress without pressure or self-consciousness."

For a family that means a ten-year-old in Delta and a nine-year-old in Epsilon are both simply on their next level. We follow the same idea in class: we ask which lesson your child is on, not which grade.

Two Algebra 1 editions

The Algebra 1 page lists a Legacy Edition and Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics. Demme Learning says the Legacy Edition gives "basic coverage of Algebra 1 topics", while the Principles edition "covers nationally expected topics for Algebra 1".

Tell us which edition your child uses when you book. The topics overlap, but the order and depth differ, and we plan the class around the book on your table.

Sources: Math-U-See Curriculum, the Algebra 1: Legacy Edition page and the placement page, checked 31 October 2026. Math-U-See is a trademark of Demme Learning. Modern Age Coders is not affiliated with or endorsed by Demme Learning.

The lesson

How is a Math-U-See lesson structured?

Every lesson follows what Demme Learning calls its Four-Step Approach. The second step holds the method the curriculum is known for: Build, Write, Say.

The Math-U-See Four-Step Approach (mathusee.com curriculum page, checked 31 October 2026), with what each step asks of a parent (our reading)
Step	What Math-U-See says	In practice at home
1. Preparation	Look over the Instruction Manual, watch the lesson videos and get familiar with the Student Workbook pages	A few minutes for the parent before the child starts
2. Presenting	Work examples together using the Build, Write, Say method	The heart of the lesson, done side by side
3. Practice	Lesson Practice pages until mastery is achieved	The child works alone, with help when needed
4. Progression	Systematic Review pages, then the Tests booklet (except for Primer)	Move on only when mastery is shown

Build

In Demme Learning's words, "Build: Use the manipulatives to demonstrate and model the problems." The integer blocks are color-coded by value, so a 7 and a 3 look different before they are counted.

Write

Again from the curriculum page: "Write: Write down step-by-step solutions while working through the problems." The written record is what carries forward once the blocks are put away.

Say

The third part asks the child to talk through why the concept works as they build and write. It is the step most likely to be skipped on a busy day, and the one a tutor can protect.

What mastery means here

Math-U-See defines it carefully: "Mastery means that the student not only understands a new concept but can also apply the concept independently to solve a problem." It adds that the student can teach back the concept using the Build, Write, Say method.

That teach-back test is a gift to any tutor. It gives a clear, shared signal for when a lesson is done, which the parent, the child and the teacher can all check.

The pages in the workbook

For Algebra 1: Legacy Edition, the site lists a Student Workbook with Lesson Practice, Systematic Review, and Application and Enrichment worksheets, a separate Test booklet, an Instruction Manual with detailed instructions and solutions, and lesson videos.

The site says a student who shows mastery quickly may not need every Systematic Review page, and that a student who has not yet mastered a concept may need more practice, reteaching and review, with extra resources on its Digital Toolbox.

Which Math-U-See manipulatives go with which levels (mathusee.com integrated manipulatives page, checked 31 October 2026)
Kit	Where Math-U-See uses it
Integer Block Kit (described as a 133-piece set)	From Primer all the way through Algebra 1
Fraction Overlay Kit	Fractions in Epsilon
Algebra/Decimal Insert Kit	With the integer blocks, for decimals and algebra in Zeta, Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1

Source: Math-U-See Integrated Manipulatives, checked 31 October 2026. We describe the kits only so you know what your child should have on the desk during a live lesson.

Readiness

How do I know my child is ready for the next Math-U-See level?

Demme Learning publishes a short readiness list on each level page and offers an interactive placement tool with yes or no questions and example problems. Three of those lists are a useful map of where children tend to need help.

Readiness points from three Math-U-See level pages (mathusee.com, checked 31 October 2026), summarized
Before starting	Math-U-See says the student may be ready if they can
Delta	Add or subtract multiple-digit numbers with regrouping; "Recall single-digit multiplication facts from memory"; "Demonstrate a multiplication problem by building or drawing a rectangle"
Pre-Algebra	Work fluently with multiple-digit whole numbers; "Proficiently add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions", mixed numbers and decimals; convert between fraction, decimal and percent; choose the operation for a word problem
Algebra 1: Legacy	Do all four operations with whole numbers, fractions, mixed numbers and decimals; convert between forms; solve one-step equations; plot points; operate with integers; write an expression for a word problem

Use the publisher's placement tool first. Math-U-See says its tools identify concepts already mastered and any conceptual gaps, and that its Placement Specialists can help with the results.
Read the readiness list for the next level aloud with your child. Ask them to show one item from each line with blocks or on paper.
Watch for the item that takes longest. That is usually the gap, and it is often from two levels back rather than the current one.
Book a free class with that item. We start there, inside Math-U-See's own order, rather than skipping ahead.

Stall points

Where do children commonly get stuck in Math-U-See?

Every curriculum has places where the work changes character. These are the Math-U-See transitions our teachers see most often in live lessons; they are general teaching guidance, not statistics.

Common stall points in a Math-U-See sequence and what helps (our teaching notes)
Transition	What changes	What tends to help
Gamma to Delta	Division asks the child to run multiplication backwards	Rebuild the rectangle and ask what side is missing
Delta to Epsilon	Fractions mean a part of one, not a count	Name the whole first, every time
Zeta to Pre-Algebra	Negative numbers break the idea that adding makes bigger	Zero pairs, built and then drawn
Pre-Algebra to Algebra 1	The blocks step back and symbols carry the meaning	Keep saying the why even after the blocks go away
Inside any level	Systematic Review pages feel like repetition	Treat review as the check that mastery has lasted

The quiet sign: build yes, write no

A child who can model a problem with blocks but freezes at the written version has the concept but not the notation. That is not a reason to return to an earlier level.

In class we put the build and the written step side by side, line by line, until the child can do the writing without the blocks and still describe what the blocks would show.

The other sign: write yes, say no

The opposite also happens. The answers are right, but the child cannot explain them, which usually means the steps were copied from the video or the manual's examples.

Math-U-See's own mastery test asks the child to teach the idea back. We use that test in every class, gently, and it quickly shows whether a page of right answers is really understood.

Worked examples

What does Build, Write, Say look like on real problems?

Original examples written by our teachers on topics from the Math-U-See sequence, from Delta to Algebra 1. None of them is taken from a Math-U-See book.

Factoring x squared + 5x + 6 as a rectangle, an Algebra 1 topic (our example)
Part	What the student does	What the student says
Build	Lay out one x-by-x square, five x-by-1 strips and six unit squares, then arrange all of them into one rectangle	"I need the pieces to make a rectangle with no gaps."
Build	The only rectangle that works has sides x + 2 and x + 3	"Two strips go down one side and three along the other, and the six units fill the corner."
Write	x squared + 5x + 6 = (x + 2)(x + 3)	"The sides of the rectangle are the factors."
Check	(x + 2)(x + 3) = x squared + 3x + 2x + 6 = x squared + 5x + 6	"Multiplying the sides gives back the area I started with."
Say	Two numbers multiply to 6 and add to 5	"The corner must be 6 units and the strips must total 5, so I need 2 and 3."

factor_pairs.py (our example)Python 3

def rectangle_sides(b, c):
    """Find whole numbers p, q with p * q == c and p + q == b."""
    for p in range(1, c + 1):
        if c % p == 0:
            q = c // p
            if p + q == b:
                return p, q
    return None

print(rectangle_sides(5, 6))    # x^2 + 5x + 6
print(rectangle_sides(7, 12))   # x^2 + 7x + 12
print(rectangle_sides(4, 6))    # x^2 + 4x + 6

Output: (2, 3), then (3, 4), then None. The last trinomial has no whole-number rectangle, which is exactly what happens when a child tries to build it with blocks and always has pieces left over. We use small programs like this with older students who also learn to code.

Long division by place value (Delta)

Our problem: 744 divided by 6. Build 744 as 7 hundreds, 4 tens and 4 units. Share the hundreds into 6 equal groups: each group gets 1 hundred, and 1 hundred is left over.

Trade the leftover hundred for 10 tens, so there are 14 tens. Each group gets 2 tens, with 2 tens left. Trade those for 20 units, making 24 units, and each group gets 4. Write it: 744 / 6 = 124. Say it: "Every trade keeps the value the same; only the block size changes." Check: 6 x 124 = 744.

Negative numbers with zero pairs (Pre-Algebra)

Our problem: -7 + 4. Build seven negative units and four positive units. Each positive and negative unit together make zero, so remove four pairs. Three negative units remain.

Write it: -7 + 4 = -3. Say it: "Pairs that make zero do not change the total, so I can take them away." The same picture explains why 4 - 7 is also -3.

A fraction of a number (Delta and Epsilon)

Our problem: three quarters of 28. Build 28 and split it into 4 equal groups of 7. Three of those groups make 21.

Write it: 28 / 4 = 7, then 7 x 3 = 21. Say it: "The bottom number tells me how many equal groups; the top number tells me how many groups I keep."

A unit multiplier (Algebra 1)

Our problem: how many hours is 90 minutes? Multiply by a fraction equal to one: 90 minutes x (1 hour / 60 minutes) = 90/60 hours = 1.5 hours.

Say it: "One hour over sixty minutes is worth exactly 1, so multiplying by it changes the units but not the amount, and the minutes cancel."

Practice set in the same style (ours; answers in brackets)
Problem	Build or draw first, then write
x squared + 7x + 12	Rectangle with sides x + 3 and x + 4 [(x + 3)(x + 4)]
852 / 4	Trade hundreds for tens as you share [213]
-5 + 9	Remove zero pairs [4]
Two fifths of 35	Five groups of 7, keep two [14]
150 seconds in minutes	Multiply by 1 minute over 60 seconds [2.5 minutes]
0.3 x 0.4	Shade 3 tenths across and 4 tenths down on a hundredths square [0.12]

With a tutor

How can a live tutor support a Math-U-See lesson?

Math-U-See itself says the curriculum can be used for tutoring and that tutors should become familiar with its core principles. Our classes keep its lesson order and its Build, Write, Say rhythm; the teacher adds questions and fresh problems.

Tell us the level, edition and lesson. For Algebra 1 or Algebra 2, say whether it is the Legacy Edition or Principles of Secondary Mathematics.
Keep the blocks within reach. On camera, your child builds; the teacher watches the build and asks what each piece stands for.
Write together. The teacher asks for every written line to match a move with the blocks, until the blocks are no longer needed.
Say it back. Each class ends with your child teaching one idea to the teacher, which is the publisher's own mastery check.
Practise with new problems. Our teachers write fresh problems on the same lesson topic, so the Lesson Practice and Systematic Review pages stay yours to use as the book intends.
Move on with the book. When the teach-back is clear and the Tests booklet goes well, your child moves to the next lesson in Math-U-See, not in our plan.

Parent-led Math-U-See may suit

A child in the early levels whose parent enjoys the Build, Write, Say routine and has time for it each day.

Math-U-See plus a batch may suit

A Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1 student who benefits from hearing others explain their steps, in a group of fifteen to twenty.

Math-U-See plus 1-on-1 may suit

A student with a gap two levels back, or a parent who wants the teacher to lead the Presenting step at the harder levels.

Co-ops that use Math-U-See face the same balance. The curriculum page reminds instructors that the program "is designed to be student-paced", so a group class works best as a place for reasoning out loud, with each child still moving through their own level at home.

Blocks to symbols

How a Math-U-See student moves from blocks to symbols

Our description of the stages we see as children move through the levels.

From concrete to abstract (ours)
Stage	What it looks like
1. Building	Can model the problem with blocks, with help
2. Matching	Writes each step next to the matching build
3. Picturing	Draws the blocks or imagines them instead of using them
4. Explaining	Writes the steps alone and teaches the reason back

For parents

Stage 3 is the turning point. A child who can describe what the blocks would show, without touching them, is ready for the symbol-heavy levels.

If the blocks have quietly disappeared before stage 3, bring them back for a week. That is not a step backwards.

For students

When you are stuck, build it. When you are not stuck, say why.

If you can teach your parent the lesson, you have finished it.

The catalogue

Live math courses mapped to Math-U-See levels

Choose by the level on your child's book, not by grade.

I

Primer to Delta

Counting to long division

MUS / A / 01

Early math foundations

Concrete play for Primer-age children.

Open the syllabus

MUS / A / 02

Elementary math

Facts, regrouping, multiplication, division.

Open the syllabus

MUS / A / 03

Mental math

Number sense to make facts stick.

Open the syllabus

MUS / A / 04

Reasoning and readiness

Patterns and spatial thinking, ages 6 to 9.

Open the syllabus

II

Epsilon to Pre-Algebra

Fractions to negatives

MUS / B / 01

Middle school math

Fractions, decimals, percents, ratio.

Open the syllabus

MUS / B / 02

Math through coding

Patterns checked in Python.

Open the syllabus

III

Algebra 1 and beyond

Symbols take over

MUS / C / 01

Algebra foundations

Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1, explained.

Open the syllabus

MUS / C / 02

High school math

Geometry, Algebra 2 and PreCalculus.

Open the syllabus

MUS / C / 03

SAT Math

When a homeschooler plans for college.

Open the syllabus

How classes run

Live classes that keep the Build, Write, Say rhythm

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

In the homeschool day, when math usually happens.

Weekends

A weekly class on the lesson that stuck.

1-on-1

Matched to your level and lesson number.

Your book leads

We follow the Math-U-See lesson order.

Blocks on camera

The build is part of the class.

Writing matched

Each line ties to a move.

Teach-back close

Your child explains one idea.

Fresh problems

Written by our teachers.

Group or solo

Fifteen to twenty, or just your child.

Student work

What our students make

Some Math-U-See families add coding once algebra clicks. A selection is on student labs.

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Classes beside Math-U-See are billed month by month in US dollars. Families often bring a teacher in for one hard level, such as Pre-Algebra, then step back once the child can teach the lessons back unaided.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A free first class
Bring the lesson that stuck
No card needed

Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

A class of fifteen to twenty
The same teacher each week
Pick your batch time
Monthly, cancel any month

Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

Your own teacher
Paced to the Math-U-See lesson
Times that suit you

Enquire

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Questions from families

Math-U-See tutoring: common questions

Can I get a Math-U-See tutor online?

Yes. Our teachers work live online with students who keep using their Math-U-See books, videos and blocks. Classes follow the lesson your child is on, in a batch of 15 to 20 or one to one.

How many levels does Math-U-See have?

Demme Learning lists 13 levels: Primer, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, PreCalculus and Calculus. The letters stand for subjects rather than grades.

What is the Build, Write, Say method?

It is how Math-U-See presents each concept. The student builds the problem with manipulatives, writes the step-by-step solution, and says why it works. Math-U-See uses the same three parts as its mastery check, asking the child to teach the idea back.

Does Math-U-See prepare students for college?

Math-U-See runs through Algebra 2, PreCalculus and Calculus, and Demme Learning says its Principles of Secondary Mathematics edition of Algebra 1 covers nationally expected topics. Whether a particular student is ready for college math depends on what they have mastered, which a placement check or an honest teach-back shows better than a level name.

Where can I find Math-U-See extra practice?

Demme Learning points families to the Systematic Review pages, the Application and Enrichment worksheets and its Digital Toolbox. Our teachers also write fresh problems on the same topic so the book's own pages stay available for your child.

Why is my child struggling with Math-U-See Pre-Algebra?

In our experience it is usually the move from building with blocks to working in symbols, together with negative numbers. Keep the blocks for zero pairs, and ask your child to say why each step is allowed even when the blocks are put away.

Which Math-U-See Algebra 1 should we use?

Demme Learning offers the Legacy Edition, which it describes as basic coverage of Algebra 1 topics, and Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics, which it says covers nationally expected topics. Its own comparison page and placement team are the right place to decide; we teach whichever your child has.

Do I need the blocks for an online class?

They help a great deal up to Algebra 1, the last level where Math-U-See says the integer blocks are used. Your child keeps them on the desk and builds on camera; older students can draw the blocks instead.

When are classes held?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Are you part of Math-U-See or Demme Learning?

No. We are an independent online school. Math-U-See is a trademark of Demme Learning, and we describe the curriculum only from its own published pages.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

More help for families who homeschool math in the US.

Homeschool math curriculum

A wider look at choosing and pacing a homeschool program.

Algebra tutoring

For students in the Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 levels.

Geometry tutoring

The level after Algebra 1, with proofs.

Fourth grade math tutoring

Multiplication and division, around Gamma and Delta.

Saxon Math tutor

If your family is comparing a cumulative program.

Teaching Textbooks help

Another self-paced homeschool program, explained.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: Homeschool and school math curricula guide

Curricula we teach alongside

Comparing options

Homeschool testing and credit

More guides: US state math tests by state · US gifted and selective school tests · US math placement and college readiness tests · US math and coding competitions guide

Start here

Book a free first class

Tell us the Math-U-See level and lesson number, and which edition if your child is in Algebra 1 or Algebra 2. Have the blocks nearby. We begin with the problem that stopped them.

Read how our live classes work, or browse every course.

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