Manage a Numerical Input Problem

Manage a Numerical Input Problem#

Add a Numerical Input Problem #

You add numerical input problems in Studio by selecting the Problem component. In the problem editor, select the Numerical Input option. Fill in the fields on this screen to create your problem.

An example numerical input problem in the problem editor with number indicators labeling the various features.

Creating a numerical input problem is as simple as:

Editing the Display Name. Click the pen symbol to edit.
Filling in the Question field.
Filling in the Explanation field. When this is shown to learners is based on the selection in the Show answer panel on the right.
Filling in the Answer fields. For numerical input problems, only correct answers can be added here. Additional answers can be added by clicking the Add answer button. Answers can be deleted by clicking the trash can icon. Feedback can be provided for each answer. More information on feedback can be found in the following section.
Selecting and filling in any desired settings on the right.

Note

Only correct answers can be added to a numerical input problem.

If you have any questions on the specifics of using the simple editor, please check out The Simple Editor and Guide to Problem Settings.

Add a Tolerance or a Range #

To give learners the option to receive full credit for a close approximation of the correct answer, and to support a wide range of possible correct numerical answers, you can specify a tolerance for the correct answer or a range of values to mark as correct for the numerical input problem type.

Note

You can either have a tolerance or an answer range for a numerical input problem. You cannot add both.

Add a Tolerance #

You can specify a margin of error or tolerance for learner responses. You can specify a percentage or number. The tolerance settings panel can be found to the right of the editor.

Specify an Answer Range #

You can specify an answer range so that any learner response within that range is marked correct.

Add an answer range by selecting the Add answer range button from the Add answer dropdown. This option can only be selected if you only have one answer. This will replace your answer field with an answer range field.

An example answer range set from 1 to 10. This includes 1 but not 10.

To format an answer range, you provide the starting and ending values and then separate them with a comma character (,). You then surround the range with bracket ([ ]) or parentheses characters (( )), or a combination of one bracket and one parenthesis.

Use a bracket to include the number next to it in the range, as in a less than or equal to, or greater than or equal to, inequality.
Use a parenthesis to exclude the number from the range, as in a less than or greater than inequality.

For example, to identify the correct answers as 5, 6, or 7, but not 8, specify [5,8). To identify the correct answers as 6, 7, and 8, but not 5, specify (5,8].

Add Feedback and Hints via the Simple Editor #

Add Feedback #

For an overview of feedback in problems, see Adding Feedback and Hints to a Problem. In numerical input problems, you can provide feedback for correct responses. If you define multiple correct responses, you can define feedback for each response. In numerical input problems, use feedback to reinforce the process used to arrive at the correct answer.

You can add answer-specific feedback for each answer in a numerical input problem. You can access the feedback panel shown below by clicking the button to the right of the answer text.

An example of an expanded feedback section for dropdown problems showing the 'is selected' feedback field.

Simply enter your feedback message in this text field. It will display when the learner submits this answer.

Note

You cannot add feedback for an incorrect answer in numerical input problems. Add hints to guide the learners in the correct direction instead.

Add Hints #

You can add hints to a numerical input problem using the simple editor or the advanced editor. For an overview of hints in problems, see Adding Feedback and Hints to a Problem.

Edit Numerical Input Problems using the Advanced Editor #

If the simple editor is not enough to meet your needs, you can switch over to the advanced editor. In the setting panels on the right of the editor, click Show advanced settings, then scroll down and click Switch to advanced editor.

You can use the advanced editor to identify the elements of a numerical input problem with OLX. For more information, see Numerical Input Problem OLX Reference. To format equations, you can use MathJax. For more information, see MathJax for Mathematics.

You can see the OLX for the example problem from the Overview section below.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="10">
    <label>In what base is the decimal numeral system?</label>
    <formulaequationinput/>
    <solution>
      <div class="detailed-solution">
        <p>Explanation</p>
        <p>The decimal numeral system is base ten.</p>
      </div>
    </solution>
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

Note

You can begin work on the problem in the simple editor, and then switch to the advanced editor. However, after you save any advanced OLX changes you make in the advanced editor, you may not be able to cannot switch back to the simple editor.

Add Feedback via the Advanced Editor #

In the advanced editor, you configure feedback with the following syntax.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="Correct Answer">
    <label>Question text</label>
    <formulaequationinput />
    <correcthint>Feedback for the correct answer</correcthint>
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

For example, the following problem has feedback for each answer.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="4">
    <label>What is the arithmetic mean for the following set of numbers?
    (1, 5, 6, 3, 5)</label>
    <formulaequationinput />
    <correcthint>The mean for this set of numbers is 20 / 5 which equals 4.</correcthint>
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

If you define multiple correct responses, you can define feedback for each response.

Add Hints via the Advanced Editor #

See Add Hints via the Advanced Editor for more information about adding hints to problems.

Add Multiple Correct Responses via the Advanced Editor #

You can specify more than one specific, correct response for numerical input problems. To do this, use the advanced editor.

If you specify multiple correct responses, you cannot also specify a tolerance, a range, or a text string as correct answers. For example, when you define multiple correct responses, you can specify a numeric value for each correct answer but not a tolerance, range, or text string.

To specify an additional correct response in the advanced editor, within the <numericalresponse> element add the <additional_answer /> element with an answer="" attribute value.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="9.3*10^7">
    <label>How many miles away from Earth is the sun?</label>
    <description>Use scientific notation to answer.</description>
    <additional_answer answer="9.296*10^7"/>
    <formulaequationinput/>
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

Add a Tolerance via the Advanced Editor #

You can specify a margin of error or tolerance for learner responses. You can specify a percentage, number, or range.

To add a tolerance in the advanced editor you include a <responseparam> element with a type="tolerance" attribute and a default attribute set to either a number or a percentage value.

The following example shows a problem with a decimal tolerance.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="ANSWER (NUMBER)">
    <label>Question text</label>
    <responseparam type="tolerance" default=".02" />
    <formulaequationinput />
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

The following example shows a problem with a percentage tolerance.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="ANSWER (NUMBER)">
    <label>Question text</label>
    <responseparam type="tolerance" default="3%" />
    <formulaequationinput />
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

Specify an Answer Range via the Advanced Editor #

You can specify an answer range so that any learner response within that range is marked correct. To format an answer range, you provide the starting and ending values and then separate them with a comma character (,`). You then surround the range with bracket ([ ]) or parentheses characters (( )), or a combination of one bracket and one parenthesis.

Use a bracket to include the number next to it in the range, as in a less than or equal to, or greater than or equal to, inequality.
Use a parenthesis to exclude the number from the range, as in a less than or greater than inequality.

For example, to identify the correct answers as 5, 6, or 7, but not 8, specify [5,8). To identify the correct answers as 6, 7, and 8, but not 5, specify (5,8].

To specify a range in the advanced editor, you enter the complete, formatted range in the <numericalresponse> element as the value for the answer attribute: <numericalresponse answer="[5,8)"> or <numericalresponse answer="(5,8]">.

Add Text after the Numeric Response Field #

You might want to include a word, phrase, or sentence after the response field in a numerical input problem to help guide your students or resolve ambiguity.

Three numerical input problems with text after the response field: "km", a percent sign, and a symbol for meters per second squared.

To do this, you use the advanced editor.

In the problem, locate the formulaequationinput element. This element creates the response field for the problem and is a child of the numericalresponse element.

To add text after the response field, add the trailing_text attribute together with the symbol or text that you want to use inside the formulaequationinput element. An example problem follows with three questions that use this attribute.

Note

You can use MathJax inside the trailing_text attribute, as the third question in this example shows. You cannot use HTML inside this attribute.

<problem>
  <numericalresponse answer="12.87">
    <label>How far is 8 miles in kilometers?</label>
    <formulaequationinput trailing_text="km" />
  </numericalresponse>

  <numericalresponse answer="91">
    <label>According to the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life
     Project, what percentage of the world's population had a cellular phone
     as of May 2013?</label>
    <formulaequationinput trailing_text="%" />
  </numericalresponse>

  <numericalresponse answer="9.81">
    <label>What is the strength of Earth's gravity, to two decimal places?</label>
    <formulaequationinput trailing_text="\(m/s^{2}\)" />
  </numericalresponse>
</problem>

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Manage a Numerical Input Problem

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Manage a Numerical Input Problem#