Forum archive 2000-2006

Michael Gage - FAQ

Michael Gage - FAQ

by Arnold Pizer -
Number of replies: 0
inactiveTopicFAQ topic started 4/13/2000; 2:18:57 PM
last post 9/26/2000; 4:15:32 PM
userMichael Gage - FAQ  blueArrow
4/13/2000; 2:18:57 PM (reads: 10452, responses: 1)

FAQ

What is WeBWorK?
WeBWorK is a web-based homework checker currently used to check calculus homework by the University of Rochester's math department and by math departments at other universities.
What does it do?
  • WeBWorK immediately tells a students whether or not their answers are correct, but does not tell them the correct answers. Students are allowed to try to answer the same question again, until they get it right.
  • Each student receives a slightly different version of each WeBWorK problem so that they can collaborate in finding solutions, but they must each still answer their own individual problem. To see the current courses being offered by WeBWorK link to http://webwork.math.rochester.edu. You will be able to log in as a guest (practice user) and view the assignments currently being done by University of Rochester students.
  • To see the range of mathematics questions and answers which can presented by WeBWorK link to http://webwork.math.rochester.edu/SampleCourse.
How can I get WeBWorK?WeBWorK is freely available to educational institutions. Go to the software download page to download a copy of the program.An alternative is to set up a CVS repository (see http://webhost.math.rochester.edu/webworkdocs/docs/howto/) in order to easily update your system.What equipment is required?It requires a unix server, and some unix expertise to set it up. The students access WeBWorK with any internet browser. Professors can administer much of the course using only an internet browser. A few operations require some knowledge of simple Unix commands.Are there problems already written for subject XXX?There are many problems for calculus and pre-calculus. There are also problems for other mathematics subjects. See Problem Library. It is possible to convert problems written for "CAPA" to WeBWorK problems (write Mike Gage gage@mth.rochester.edu for details.)Troubleshooting:
  • When I click on "login" I get:
    • Can't locate /home/httpd/webwork/system/courses/math121/webworkCourse.ph in @INC (did you run h2ph?)
    • The problem is that WeBWorK 1.8 can not locate or read the file webworkCourse.ph. Assuming the class_id is mth100, this file is located in .../webwork/courses/mth100/. The most likely reasons are:
      1. The course_id on the login page (.../webwork/courses/mth100/html/index.html) in the line is wrong.
      2. The webserver can not read the webworkCourse.ph file becaue the permissions are wrong (perhaps they got changed if you edited the file). The permission should be 640.
      3. There is some problem with the path to the main course directory (i.e. mth100). WeBWork follows the path .../webwork/system/courses/mth100 . Note in the usual setup, this last mth100 is a link pointing to .../webwork/courses/mth100/ .

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userDavid Etlinger - FAQ  blueArrow
9/26/2000; 4:15:32 PM (reads: 5607, responses: 0)

FAQ

Installing/Running WeBWorK

Managing a WeBWorK Course

Writing WeBWorK Problems

Using WeBWorK as a Student

Miscellaneous

If you have any questions or suggestions, please post them as comments to this page by clicking the <| Post Comments |> button below. First-time posters will need to register (it takes about two minutes). This version of the FAQ is still preliminary, and not very complete.

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