WeBWorK Problems

contextFraction.pl

contextFraction.pl

by Kenneth Appel -
Number of replies: 3
I wrote a middle school problem on addition of fractions. I wanted the sum as a mixed number (with the fraction proper and reduced)

I used the context

Context("Fraction")->flags->set(
requireProperFractions =>1,
reduceConstants => 0, #keep fractions and operations between them
);

The answer 41/20 was accepted as correct (without comment.)

What did I do wrong?
In reply to Kenneth Appel

Re: contextFraction.pl

by Kenneth Appel -
I can refine the question above a bit due to further experimentation. I have modified the context so that the
answers shown are mixed numbers, but entries that are not
mixed numbers are accepted, for example

Entered Answer Preview Correct Result
9/20 incorrect
2.85 2.85 2 17/20 correct
3 17/20 3 {\textstyle\frac{17}{20}} 3 17/20 correct
1 of the questions remains unanswered.

Evaluate each expression if x =\frac{5}{4},\ y=\frac{4}{5},\ and\ z=\frac{9}{5}
Your answer should be a reduced fraction or a mixed number with the
faction part reduced (A mixed number can be entered in the form 2 3/4 to mean 2\frac{3}{4} ).

a) x-y=\ \

b) x+2y=\ \

c) x+y+z=\ \

Note that the 77/20 is converted to 3 17/20 but not rejected for improper form and 2.85 is accepted even
though it is a decimal.

Here is the code

DESCRIPTION
##Type of
#ENDDESCRIPTION

DOCUMENT();
loadMacros(
"PGstandard.pl",
"PGchoicemacros.pl",
#"PGgraphmacros.pl",
"MathObjects.pl",
# "compoundProblem.pl",
#"contextCurrency.pl",
#"contextInequalities.pl",
#"unionTables.pl",
# "unionLists.pl",
#"unionMacros.pl",
#"contextLeadingZero.pl",
"contextFraction.pl",
"answerHints.pl",
"problemPanic.pl",

#"PGauxiliaryFunctions.pl", #for lcm, gcd,etc
);
#for currency use Context("Currency") then Currency($A);
#Then, in the text use $DOLLAR $a
TEXT(beginproblem());
$showPartialCorrectAnswers = 1;

Context("Fraction")->flags->set(allowProperFractions =>1,
requireProperFractions =>1, showProperFractions=>1 ,
reduceConstants => 0, #keep fractions and operations between them
);
$a1=random (3,7,2);
$b1=random (4,8,4);
$x=Compute("$a1/$b1");
$a2=random (4,8,2);
$b2=random (5,7,2);
$y=Compute("$a2/$b2");
$a3=random (3,9,3);
$b3=random (5,10,5);
$z=Compute("$a3/$b3");
$ans1=$x-$y;
$ans2=$x+2*$y;
$ans3=$x+$y+$z;
#warn "a1=$a1, b1=$b1, x=$x, a2=$a2, b2=$b2, y=$y, a3=$a3, b3=$b3, z=$z, a1=$ans1";


BEGIN_TEXT
Evaluate each expression if \( x =\frac{$a1}{$b1},\ y=\frac{$a2}{$b2},\ and\
z=\frac{$a3}{$b3}\)

$BR Your answer should be a reduced fraction or a mixed number with the $BR
faction part reduced (A mixed number can be entered in the form 2 3/4 to mean
\(2\frac{3}{4}\) ).$PAR
$PAR
a) \(x-y=\ \ \) \{ans_rule(6)\}
$PAR
b) \(x+2y=\ \ \) \{ans_rule(6)\}
$PAR
c) \(x+y+z=\ \ \) \{ans_rule(6)\}
END_TEXT
Context("LimitedFraction")->flags->set(allowProperFractions =>1,
requireProperFractions =>1, showProperFractions =>1,
reduceConstants => 0, #keep fractions and operations between them
);
ANS($ans1->cmp);
ANS($ans2->cmp);
ANS($ans3->cmp);


ENDDOCUMENT()
In reply to Kenneth Appel

Re: contextFraction.pl

by Davide Cervone -
There are several problems here. First, the requireProperFractions flag requires the strictFractions flag, so it is really only effective in the LimitedFraction context, not in the plain Fraction context. Also, if you were to get this flag to work Fraction context (by setting strictFraction), then you would not be able to enter the improper fractions that you do in the Compute() calls below.

Second, the LimitedFraction context that you set at the bottom has no effect. This is because MathObjects retain the context in which they were created, so since $ans1, $ans2, and $ans3 where created in the Fraction context, they continue to be in that context even after you change the current context to LimitedFraction.

The proper way to do this is to create them in LimitedFraction context initially (without the requireReducedFractions flag set, so the correct answer can be entered as an improper fraction) and then set the requireReducedFractions flag after they are created.

Here is the code:


    #DESCRIPTION
    ##Type of
    #ENDDESCRIPTION

    DOCUMENT();
    loadMacros(
    "PGstandard.pl",
    #"PGchoicemacros.pl",
    #"PGgraphmacros.pl",
    "MathObjects.pl",
    # "compoundProblem.pl",
    #"contextCurrency.pl",
    #"contextInequalities.pl",
    #"unionTables.pl",
    # "unionLists.pl",
    #"unionMacros.pl",
    #"contextLeadingZero.pl",
    "contextFraction.pl",
    #"answerHints.pl",
    #"problemPanic.pl",
    );
    #for currency use Context("Currency") then Currency($A);
    #Then, in the text use $DOLLAR $a
    TEXT(beginproblem());
    $showPartialCorrectAnswers = 1;

    Context("LimitedFraction");

    $a1=random (3,7,2);
    $b1=random (4,8,4);
    $x=Compute("$a1/$b1");
    $a2=random (4,8,2);
    $b2=random (5,7,2);
    $y=Compute("$a2/$b2");
    $a3=random (3,9,3);
    $b3=random (5,10,5);
    $z=Compute("$a3/$b3");
    $ans1=$x-$y;
    $ans2=$x+2*$y;
    $ans3=$x+$y+$z;
    #warn "a1=$a1, b1=$b1, x=$x, a2=$a2, b2=$b2, y=$y, a3=$a3, b3=$b3, z=$z, a1=$ans1";

    Context()->flags->set(requireProperFractions => 1);


    BEGIN_TEXT
    Evaluate each expression if \(x =\frac{$a1}{$b1}\), \(y=\frac{$a2}{$b2}\), and
    \(z=\frac{$a3}{$b3}\).$BR
    Your answer should be a reduced fraction or a mixed number with the $BR
    faction part reduced (a mixed number can be entered in the form 2 3/4 to
    mean \(2\frac{3}{4}\)).$PAR
    $PAR
    a) \(x-y=\) \{ans_rule(6)\}
    $PAR
    b) \(x+2y=\) \{ans_rule(6)\}
    $PAR
    c) \(x+y+z=\) \{ans_rule(6)\}
    END_TEXT

    ANS($ans1->cmp);
    ANS($ans2->cmp);
    ANS($ans3->cmp);

    ENDDOCUMENT();

Hope that clears things up.

Davide

In reply to Kenneth Appel

Re: contextFraction.pl

by Davide Cervone -
The requireProperFractions flag only works when the strictFractions flag is also set. This is not properly documented in the file, but I will fix that.

Davide