Quantitative analysis of carbohydrates is a fundamental analytical tool used in many aspects of biology and chemistry. We have adapted a technique developed by Mathews et al. using an inexpensive scanner and open-source image analysis software to quantify amylase activity using both the breakdown of starch and the appearance of glucose. Breakdown of starch is analyzed using the iodide/iodine reagent, while the appearance of glucose is followed using Benedict's reagent. The progress of Benedict's reagent is quantified using the inherent color change of a blue solution into a red precipitate. The reaction velocity at different time points is then plotted and graphed using an Excel spreadsheet. This laboratory emphasizes that enzymes mediate the conversion of a substrate into a product and that either the concentration of product or reactant may be used to follow the course of a reaction. (Contains 3 figures.)