One of my co-workers introduced me to Dragonbox the other day. It purports to teach algebra through a game. (There are two versions; one for 5 year olds and one

One of my co-workers introduced me to Dragonbox the other day. It purports to teach algebra through a game. (There are two versions; one for 5 year olds and one for 13 year olds.) The left and the right sides of the field are the sides of the equation. The "dragon box" is x, and you are trying to isolate it on one side. Galaxy images are 0, and can be removed at any time by tapping. Multiplication by 1 can similarly be done. Dice are used to represent numbers and can be added/subtracted, factored, divided/multiplied; other critters are used to represent other constants (a, b, c) and have the same done. If you get far enough along, they substitute an 'x' icon for the dragon box, and letters for the constants. However, the game doesn't explain why certain operations are allowed or disallowed -- each of the algebraic rules introduced is described as a "new magic power".