Alpha Math is a mastery math course built on a Gap-Filling Approach: every child follows the same coherent path, but the app skips ahead on skills they've already mastered and slots in targeted support wherever a gap shows up. Strong students move quickly; students who need help get it automatically, without falling behind.
Also known as Alpha Math Blue, Math Blue, or Math Blu.
How to log in
Alpha Math auto-signs you in on TimeBack.
Open TimeBack: Sign in to TimeBack with your child's student email and find the “Math - Alpha Math Blu” course on your “Home.”
Click Jump In: Open the "Math - Alpha Math Blu" course and click Jump In. The app opens your child's course page directly.
Getting Started
Take the diagnostic: Most students start with a placement diagnostic. It only moves your child forward and never penalizes; they earn XP regardless of accuracy, and answering “I don't know” when unsure genuinely helps it place them correctly.
Work the assigned lessons: Stay on the Lessons tab and find the UP NEXT card at the top. Click the blue CONTINUE button and work through the activity.
How a lesson works
Lessons follow the gap-filling path: the app skips what your child has already mastered and inserts a support lesson wherever a skill gap shows up, so no one falls off the path.
Every lesson begins with a tutorial. Most tutorials in our course are interactive. You will get a step-by-step explanation of the new skill alongside visual animations. Our tutor Blu will walk you through the new concept. Once you are done with the tutorial, click on the blue "Next" button to move to the next page. The next activity will unlock when you are done with the tutorial/article.
If you have a touch-enabled screen, your child can use the trackpad or write directly on the question, circling or crossing things out, the same way they would on paper.
If you're out of lessons, or your child says they are, or they're in Math Blue with no more assignments, click the ↻ "Check for new lessons" button in the top-right corner. New lessons will load, and you can keep going.
How XP works
Alpha Math earns XP from focused work time plus an accuracy bonus, not a single pass/fail threshold. Rushing or guessing earns little or nothing, so if XP looks low despite time spent, accuracy is the first thing to check.
The daily XP goal is shown in the app's top-right corner.
Meet your pets! The in-app motivation layer
Your child equips a pet from My Pets (top header), which sits beside the lesson as they work. This is the motivation layer. Rewards only flow from correct answers and completed units, reinforcing real work.
Click My Pets in the top header to open your pet drawer and equip a pet; it appears beside your lesson.
Every correct answer gives your pet +1 Pet XP and earns you Gold for rewards in the shop.
Pets level up as you answer correctly; some even evolve into new forms! Finish units to earn mystery boxes.
Checking progress: the Metrics tab
The Metrics tab (next to Lessons) is the clearest window into progress:
Course Progress: the big percentage shows how much of the course you've finished.
Daily Goals: rings show your active minutes, accuracy, and XP for today.
Lessons & Topics: see lessons completed, placed out, and remaining, plus mastery bars for each topic.
Habits that lead to success
Answer “I don't know” rather than guessing on the diagnostic. A lucky guess can skip a skill your child actually needs.
Work at a steady pace. XP rewards focused time plus accuracy, not speed.
Use the trackpad or write directly on the question when it helps to work through a problem.
How to tell it's working
A steady rise in the Daily Goals rings, time, accuracy, and XP in Course Progress is the clearest sign. If XP is flat despite time in the app, check the accuracy ring first; that usually means rushing or guessing rather than a problem with the app.
Common Issues | FAQs
I'm out of lessons / My child says they're "out of lessons"
Click the ↻ "Check for new lessons" button in the top-right corner. New lessons will load, and you can keep going. This applies whether you're a student working directly in the app or a parent helping your child; the fix is the same.
What is the diagnostic at the start?
A placement step that only moves your child forward. There are no penalties, and XP is earned regardless of accuracy. Encourage “I don't know” over guessing; a lucky guess can skip a skill they actually need.
How does my child earn XP?
From focused work time plus an accuracy bonus; not a single score threshold. Rushing or guessing earns little or nothing; the daily goal is shown in the app's top-right corner.
What are the pets and gold for?
A motivation layer, not the core learning. Correct answers earn Pet XP and Gold, pets level up or evolve, and finishing units earns mystery boxes. It only rewards real, correct work.
Where do I check my child's progress?
The Metrics tab, next to Lessons: Course Progress, the Daily Goals rings, and the Lessons & Topics breakdown with per-topic mastery bars.
Why is my lesson locked?
If you encounter a lesson that appears "Locked," follow these steps to resolve it:
Open the lesson marked as "Locked."
Navigate through the lesson using the blue Next buttons provided on each page.
Ensure you read through the lesson article and complete all required pages. Once you finish, the "Locked" state will clear, allowing you to proceed to the next step.
Why can't I enter an answer on some screens?
Some screens in AlphaMath are designed as learning articles and do not require you to input an answer. These are informational pages meant to guide your understanding of the material. To continue, simply click the Next button to move forward through the lesson.
Where do I find the login details?
You don't need any. Click the Alpha Math tab on TimeBack, and it opens directly on your child's course page.