MathObject Answers - PGML
Contents
Answers from MathObjects
When you specify an answer following an answer blank and provide a number or a string containing a formula, PGML turns your answer into a MathObject (essentially by passing it to Compute()). So you can provide any sort of MathObject-based answer by enclosing it in quotation marks. For example,
Context("Interval");
BEGIN_PGML
The interval from 0 to 1 excluding 0 but
including 1 is written: [___________]{"(0,1]"}
END_PGML
provides an answer that is an interval. The answer is parsed in the current context, which is the Interval context in this example. This means that you are giving the answer exactly as the student will.
Instead of using quotation marks, you can use a MathObject creator function, like Real() or Matrix() if you prefer.
Context("Complex");
BEGIN_PGML
As a complex number, [: sqrt(-1) :] is written [__________]{Complex(0,1)}
END_PGML
If the determination of the answer involves computations, however, it may be more convenient to produce a MathObject earlier in the problem and pass that to PGML. You can do that by putting the variable that holds the math object into the braces following the answer blank.
Context("Vector");
$p = Point(0,2), $q = Point(1,-1);
$v = Vector($q-$p);
BEGIN_PGML
A vector from [`[$p]`] to [`[$q]`] is [______________]{$v}
END_PGML
Passing Options to Answer Checkers
If you need to pass options to the answer checker for a MathObject, you can pass the answer checker to PGML rather than the MathObject itself.
Context("Vector");
$a = 3, $b = 5;
$v = Vector(-$b,$a);
BEGIN_PGML
A vector perpendicular to [: <[$a],[$b]> :]* is [_____________]{$v->cmp(parallel=>true)}
END_PGML
Alternatively, you can save the answer checker in a variable and pass that to PGML for easier reading.
Context("Vector");
$a = 3, $b = 5;
$v = Vector(-$b,$a);
$cmp = $v->cmp(parallel=>true);
BEGIN_PGML
A vector perpendicular to [: <[$a],[$b]> :]* is [_____________]{$cmp}
END_PGML
This is particularly useful if you want to provide a custom checker.
Answer Arrays
For a Matrix, Vector, or Point object, you may want to ask the student to type each entry in a separate answer blank, rather than entering the whole object in one answer blank (for example, to prevent the use of vector calculations). In the traditional BEGIN_TEXT/END_TEXT setting, you would use its ans_array() rather than its ans_rule() method.
In PGML, you indicate that an answer blank should produce an answer array by putting an asterisk between the blank and the answer.
Context("Matrix");
$M = Matrix([1,2],[3,4]);
BEGIN_PGML
If [`M = [$M]`], then [`M^2 =`] [___]*{$M**2}
END_PGML
Here, the size of the answer rule determines the size of each rule in the answer array.
MultiAnswer Checkers
To use a MultiAnswer object in PGML, create it outside the PGML block, and use the MultiAnswer variable for more than one answer blank.
loadMacros("parserMultiAnswer.pl");
$mp = MultiAnswer(12,6)->with(
singleResult => 1,
separator => " and ",
tex_separator => "\text{ and }",
checker => sub {
my $correct= shift; my $student = shift;
my ($ca,$cb) = @$correct;
my ($sa,$sb) = @$student;
my $ok = ($ca == $sa && $cb == $sb) ||
($ca == $sb && $cb == $sa);
return ($ok ? (1,1) : (0,0));
},
);
BEGIN_PGML
[_______]{$mp} and [_______]{$mp}
END_PGML
See the [documentation for parserMultiAnswer.pl] for more details about using MultiAnswer objects.
Custom Checkers
Since custom checkers for math objects usually consist of more than one line, it is awkward to include them within the PGML block itself. Instead, use a variable to store the answer checker with the custom checker and pass that to PGML.
Context("Point");
$a = random(2,10,1);
$x = random(-5,5,1);
$y = $a - $x;
$cmp = Point($x,$y)->cmp(
showCoordinateHints => 0, # doesn't make sense to give hints in this case
checker => sub {
my ($correct,$student,$ansHash) = @_; # get correct and student MathObjects
my ($sx,$sy) = $student->value; # get coordinates of student answer
return ($sx + $sy == $a ? 1 : 0); # return 1 if correct, 0 otherwise
}
);
BEGIN_PGML
Find a point [:(x,y):] that is a solution to [: x+y = [$a] :].
[: (x,y) :] = [______________________]{$cmp}
END_PGML
Note: When doing comparisons of functions with "==" you should put the correct answer on the left. See:
