math-skill

A Claude skill for solving math problems rigorously — from quick calculations to full proofs.

What it does

This skill makes Claude a careful, solver-first math assistant. Instead of jumping straight to an answer, it maps the problem, selects the right method, works through each step explicitly, and verifies the result before presenting it. The goal is answers you can actually trust.

It works with typed problems and with photos — snap a handwritten problem, a whiteboard, or a textbook page and Claude will transcribe it carefully before solving.

Solving modes

Educational modes (lesson, worksheet, diagnostic, review, primary-school) are also available when you want teaching materials rather than a solution.

What kinds of problems it handles

• Equations and systems (linear, polynomial, transcendental)
• Inequalities and optimization
• Proofs and number theory
• Counting, combinatorics, and probability
• Sequences, recurrences, and series
• Calculus — limits, derivatives, integrals
• Geometry and trigonometry
• Word problems and modeling
• Reading math from photos, screenshots, PDFs, and handwritten notes

Verification tools

The skill ships with Python helpers that Claude uses to double-check its own work:

• math_verify.py — checks expression equivalence, derivatives, integrals, equation solutions, limits, and counterexamples using SymPy
• math_visualize.py — plots expressions and shaded regions with matplotlib
• math_table.py — generates tables for sequences and iterations
• math_photo_helper.py — enhances and tiles photos for cleaner transcription

These run automatically when code execution is available. When it isn't, Claude continues solving and makes its verification status explicit.

Installation

Install the .skill file directly in the Claude desktop app:

1. Download math-skill.skill from Releases
2. In Claude (Cowork or Claude Desktop), open the plugins/skills panel
3. Drag and drop the .skill file to install

Or clone this repo and zip the contents as math-skill.skill (a .skill file is just a zip archive of the skill directory).

Example prompts

Solve x³ - 6x² + 11x - 6 = 0

Prove that √2 is irrational

[photo of handwritten problem] What's the answer to this?

Find the maximum of f(x) = x·e^(-x) on [0, ∞)

In tutor mode: help me find the integral of x·sin(x)

Repository structure

math-skill/
├── SKILL.md                          # Skill instructions loaded by Claude
├── references/                       # Playbooks for specific problem types
│   ├── problem-mapping-playbook.md
│   ├── method-selection-playbook.md
│   ├── solver-loop-playbook.md
│   ├── verification-playbook.md
│   ├── proof-playbook.md
│   ├── photo-mapping-playbook.md
│   ├── diagram-reading-playbook.md
│   ├── visualization-playbook.md
│   └── ...                           # Teaching and educational playbooks
└── scripts/                          # Python verification helpers
    ├── math_verify.py
    ├── math_visualize.py
    ├── math_table.py
    ├── math_photo_helper.py
    ├── math_manipulatives.py
    ├── math_practice.py
    ├── run_validation_suite.py
    ├── bootstrap_env.sh
    └── requirements.txt

Requirements

The Python helpers require sympy, numpy, and matplotlib. Bootstrap automatically:

bash scripts/bootstrap_env.sh

This creates a .venv in the skill directory and installs all dependencies.

License

MIT