Just the right blend...

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Number Chaser by Applied Systems Knowledge has long been available on tape for the BBC Micro and it has deser vedly gained great popularity in many schools.

This new version is for both the BBC and the Electron on tape and disc.

The program asks the child to decide which of four vehicles he will drive in the race. The easiest is a cycle, with an extremely hard level being set if the racing car is selected.

The idea is that the child controls the movements of one car while the computer drives a similar vehicle. A four lane raceway is drawn and a multiplication question appears at the top of'the screen.

Below, one above each lane, are four answers. None is correct, but the child has to decide which is the closest.

The Z and X keys are used to move the car into the correct lane, and the micro car also follows into that track. If the answer is correct the child's car inches ahead of the other, another question appears, and the race continues.

When a wrong decision is made, the correct answer is shown while the screen freezes and the child's car moves back closer to the computer's car.

Too many wrong answers produce a crash while eventual success brings about a rather nice victory celebration.

The program has the right blend of enjoyment and edu cational purpose. I thoroughly recommend it.

Phil Tayler