Variable Numeric question type

An example of Variable Numeric question type

Overview:

This guide will show you how to create a Variable Numeric question type.

What to know:

The features of Variable Numeric question type is listed below.

1. It supports random variables into the questions. ( As can be seen from the example above, one student sees the question as shown in the first picture, while another student sees the question as shown in the second picture. It is because this question uses random variables.)
2. It supports variables defined by other expressions.
3. It supports variables with pre-defined values.
4. It supports answer tolerance and the use of units.

In your module area/course, click the link of the Quiz activity where you want to create a question.

1. Open the 'Questions' tab

1. On the following page, click the ’Add’ link.
2. Click the ’a new question’ link in the dropdown menu.

1. Locate and select the Variable Numeric question type from the pop-up window.
2. Click the ’Add’ button.

Give a question name in the ’Question name’ setting.

Type in the question in the ’Question text’ box, such as the example in the screenshot below.

The special Mathematical formulas and symbols can be written in Latex/Tex. You either edit the formula in Latex editors or click the icon on the top left of the text box and click the icon highlighted icons in the screenshot to edit Latex formula.

Hint:

1. The random variables, such as variable a and b, need to be covered with ’[[’ and ’]]’ so that the system knows it is a variable.
2. The whole   formula  needs to be covered with ’$$’ before and after.

If you do not need to change the full mark and give general feedback, you can skip this step.

1. Under the ’Default mark’, you can change the full mark of this question from 1 mark to another mark.
2. Under the ’General feedback’, you can add feedback that every student will see.

There are two types of variables:

1. Calculated variables: random variables. e.g. variables a and b in the screenshot below.
2. Predefined variables: variables with pre-defined values. e.g. variable exp  in the screenshot below.

Define variables:

1. To define a random variable , please write ’rand_int()’, which means random integer. Then, in the bracket, please write the range of the random integers. e.g. rand_int(1, 4) means random integer between 1 and 4.
2. This question type supports most of the commonly used expressions. Please follows the expressions that this question type supports to define your variables as  the  following image.
3. To define a predefined variable, the teacher needs to define the values that can be given to this variable.

1. You can type in the correct answer in the ’Answer’ setting.

For variables with random values, such as variable ‘a’ and ‘b’ here, it needs to be covered within ‘[[  ]]’, so that ICE recognizes them as variables.

2. You also need to add error (so-called ‘tolerance’) and a grade to this answer.

3. Define the grade of this answer. If it is the correct answer, it is 100% in grade.

You can also add partially correct answers with the relevant grades and feedback in ’Answer 2’ and ’Answer 3’ part (optional).  (If you do not need to do it, you can skip this step.)

Click ’save changes and continue editing’ or ’save changes’ button to save the question.