SubjectAreaTemplates

Any additions to the problems below should use the format of the full problem template. Also, your example should illustrate the technique without giving away the answer to an existing WeBWorK question.

Problem Authoring Templates by Subject Area

This page has complete examples of problem techniques organized by subject area. Within each subject, we give an explicit and brief description of the essential characteristics of each type of question. To keep overlap to a minimum, we try to give an example of each problem technique exactly once, which means you may need to look for a particular problem technique under other subject headings until you find it. We try to give a fairly complete list of techniques, rather than a complete list of types of questions that one might ask in each subject. All of these questions exist in NationalProblemLibrary/FortLewis/Authoring/Templates/ A detailed list of code snippets for specific problem techniques has it's own category: index of problem techniques.

Miscellaneous

• Answer is a number or a function. The most commonly used template file.
• Multiple choice question 1 (radio buttons). Only one correct answer, all choices shown.
• Multiple choice question 2 (popup menu). Only one correct answer, choices are hidden.
• Multiple choice question 3 (checkboxes). Possibly more than one correct answer, all choices shown.
• Matching question (popup menu).
• A list of many multiple choice questions (popup menus).

Algebra

• Answer is a fraction (rational number). This question requires students to simplify their answer. (Uses contextFraction.pl)
• Answer is an algebraic fraction. A rational function that must be simplified. (Uses MultiAnswer.pl)
• Answer is a an equation that defines a function. A linear equation or a quadratic function. (Uses parserAssignment.pl)
• Answer is a fully expanded and simplified polynomial. Multiplying two linear terms together and collecting like terms. (Uses contextLimitedPolynomial.pl)
• Answer is a factored polynomial. Standard factoring question. (Uses contextPolynomialFactors.pl and contextLimitedPowers.pl)

Trigonometry

• Answers that are periodic. The student answer is evaluated modulo the period.
• Trig functions in degrees. Trig functions are redefined to be in degrees.
• Trig identities 1. Cleverly redefining functions so that students must apply trig identities.
• Trig identities 2. A multi-part question that walks students through proving a trig identity.

Precalculus

• Function decomposition. Write a given function as a composition of two non-identity functions. (Uses answerComposition.pl)
• Table of values for a function. Fill in a table of values for a function.
• Answer is a number, a function, or a string. For when a single answer could be one of several data types.

Differential Calculus

• Answer is a difference quotient. Students are required to simplify their difference quotient. (Uses parserDifferenceQuotient.pl)

Integral Calculus

• Dynamically generated graphs with Riemann sums.
• Find the area of the shaded region. A dynamically generated graph with a shaded region.
• Indefinite integrals and general antiderivatives. Checks whether a student's answer differs from the correct answer by a constant. (Uses parserFormulaUpToConstant.pl)
• Interactive GeoGebra applet for the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Shows how to construct and include a GeoGebra (Java) applet. (Uses AppletObjects.pl)
• Integral of 1/x and domain issues.
• Sequences and recursively defined functions. We add a named function (dummy function) to the context for a recursively defined function. (Uses parserFunction.pl)
• Sequences with explicit formulas. Restricts the domain of the formula to positive integers to avoid errors in answer evaluation.

Links to Documentation

• MathObjects documentation Written by Davide Cervone
• POD documentation (POD - Plain Old Documentation)
• PG macro files Source code for pg/macros files.
• PG library files Source code for pg/lib files.