[LON-CAPA-users] Math Coding Question
Jay Sullivan
lon-capa-users@mail.lon-capa.org
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:09:57 -0500
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My $0.02.
I've coded these kinds of problems several ways (string response, formula
response, and as maxima response). If you choose to do string response for
any fraction problems you need to decide up front whether you want the
fraction entered in lowest terms (i.e. 6/8 vs. 3/4). If you are not careful
correct submissions may be incorrectly graded**. DAMHIKT
I think jsmath displays equations nicely, especially when dealing with
rational expressions, long division symbols, or radicals.
My own personal opinion is that a standard would be nice for those who wish
to adopt it. However--and this is a big however--my normal mode of operation
is to get problems coded and working as quickly as possible. As a
consequence, many of my problems in this area are far from streamlined
...... but they work .............. well, normally they work ;)
Jay
** By incorrect here, I do _not_ mean a bug in LONCAPA. I mean that the
answer algorithmically calculated in the problem is mathematically
equivalent to the student answer, but different when handled as a string.
On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 7:35 AM, Mark Lucas <lucasm@ohio.edu> wrote:
> Peter,
>
> Thanks for the reply! I'll absorb it and pass it along as well. Do you
> have any suggestions for a maxima tutorial that is most applicable to
> the capabilities for checking and evaluating that would be used in
> LON-CAPA?
>
> Thanks!
> Mark
>
>
>
> On Tue, 2008-08-19 at 11:18 +0200, Peter Riegler wrote:
> > Hi Mark,
> >
> > Mark Lucas wrote:
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I've got a couple of high school teachers who are diving into coding
> > > math problems, and we're starting to look for advice.
> > >
> > > The first question is this: what's the best way to force the students
> to
> > > enter a fraction? For example, he wants 3/4 rather than 0.75.
> > > Two numericalresponse boxes with a / in between?
> > > String response?
> >
> > formularesponse (w/o) sampling or mathresponse
> >
> > Here a feature of computer algebra systems (CAS) comes quite handy: CAS
> > understand the concept of exact respresentation of numbers. E.g. 2/3 \!=
> > 0.6666. However, 3/4 = 0.75 is exact.
> > If you really want to make sure that there is a / use mathresponse and
> > check for the occurence of / in the student's response.
> >
> > riegler/Mathematik/Bruchrechnen/additionVonBruechen.problem
> > gives you an example that goes into that direction. There you can't
> > enter the given sum although it's mathematically equivalent to the
> > expression using the common denominator.
> > >
> > > Second: Does anybody have coding guidelines they use for math problems?
> > > Anybody want to write a 'white paper' on this and contribute it to the
> > > community? 8)
> >
> > I see the need for such guidelines as well. At least for the
> > CAS-funtionality, after almost two years of experience, I feel that
> > authors first of all should get acquainted with maxima or any CAS to a
> > certain level. I have seen to many code fragments CAS is used and at the
> > same time perl is used for jobs which could have done more easily using
> > a CAS.
> >
> > > * What's the experience with the different display modes: tth, jsmath,
> > > mimetex - what are advantages and disadvantages? Should they be
> > > hardcoded?
> > Personally, I haven't set my mind on this issue. E.g. in my eyes
> > hardcoding jsmath is a must not. Not every user is privilegded to have
> > jsmath on their computer. On the the other hand I finally understood
> > that sometimes there a good reasons to hardcode mimetex, in particular
> > when tth renders a somewhat complex expression unreadable.
> > >
> > > * What are some issues with math problems that come up frequently?
> > I guess the most severe issue is the frequent incapability of students
> > to enter syntactically correct expressions.
> >
> > Write a*(b+c in a written exam and the grader most likely will accept
> > it. A computer won't
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Peter
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance for any advice!
> > > Mark
> > >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> LON-CAPA-users mailing list
> LON-CAPA-users@mail.lon-capa.org
> http://mail.lon-capa.org/mailman/listinfo/lon-capa-users
>
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<div dir="ltr">My $0.02.<br><br>I've coded these kinds of problems several ways (string response, formula response, and as maxima response). If you choose to do string response for any fraction problems you need to decide up front whether you want the fraction entered in lowest terms (i.e. 6/8 vs. 3/4). If you are not careful correct submissions may be incorrectly graded**. DAMHIKT<br>
<br>I think jsmath displays equations nicely, especially when dealing with rational expressions, long division symbols, or radicals.<br><br>My own personal opinion is that a standard would be nice for those who wish to adopt it. However--and this is a big however--my normal mode of operation is to get problems coded and working as quickly as possible. As a consequence, many of my problems in this area are far from streamlined ...... but they work .............. well, normally they work ;)<br>
<br>Jay<br><br>** By incorrect here, I do _not_ mean a bug in LONCAPA. I mean that the answer algorithmically calculated in the problem is mathematically equivalent to the student answer, but different when handled as a string.<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 7:35 AM, Mark Lucas <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lucasm@ohio.edu">lucasm@ohio.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Peter,<br>
<br>
Thanks for the reply! I'll absorb it and pass it along as well. Do you<br>
have any suggestions for a maxima tutorial that is most applicable to<br>
the capabilities for checking and evaluating that would be used in<br>
LON-CAPA?<br>
<br>
Thanks!<br>
<font color="#888888">Mark<br>
</font><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
<br>
<br>
On Tue, 2008-08-19 at 11:18 +0200, Peter Riegler wrote:<br>
> Hi Mark,<br>
><br>
> Mark Lucas wrote:<br>
><br>
> > Hi,<br>
> ><br>
> > I've got a couple of high school teachers who are diving into coding<br>
> > math problems, and we're starting to look for advice.<br>
> ><br>
> > The first question is this: what's the best way to force the students to<br>
> > enter a fraction? For example, he wants 3/4 rather than 0.75.<br>
> > Two numericalresponse boxes with a / in between?<br>
> > String response?<br>
><br>
> formularesponse (w/o) sampling or mathresponse<br>
><br>
> Here a feature of computer algebra systems (CAS) comes quite handy: CAS<br>
> understand the concept of exact respresentation of numbers. E.g. 2/3 \!=<br>
> 0.6666. However, 3/4 = 0.75 is exact.<br>
> If you really want to make sure that there is a / use mathresponse and<br>
> check for the occurence of / in the student's response.<br>
><br>
> riegler/Mathematik/Bruchrechnen/additionVonBruechen.problem<br>
> gives you an example that goes into that direction. There you can't<br>
> enter the given sum although it's mathematically equivalent to the<br>
> expression using the common denominator.<br>
> ><br>
> > Second: Does anybody have coding guidelines they use for math problems?<br>
> > Anybody want to write a 'white paper' on this and contribute it to the<br>
> > community? 8)<br>
><br>
> I see the need for such guidelines as well. At least for the<br>
> CAS-funtionality, after almost two years of experience, I feel that<br>
> authors first of all should get acquainted with maxima or any CAS to a<br>
> certain level. I have seen to many code fragments CAS is used and at the<br>
> same time perl is used for jobs which could have done more easily using<br>
> a CAS.<br>
><br>
> > * What's the experience with the different display modes: tth, jsmath,<br>
> > mimetex - what are advantages and disadvantages? Should they be<br>
> > hardcoded?<br>
> Personally, I haven't set my mind on this issue. E.g. in my eyes<br>
> hardcoding jsmath is a must not. Not every user is privilegded to have<br>
> jsmath on their computer. On the the other hand I finally understood<br>
> that sometimes there a good reasons to hardcode mimetex, in particular<br>
> when tth renders a somewhat complex expression unreadable.<br>
> ><br>
> > * What are some issues with math problems that come up frequently?<br>
> I guess the most severe issue is the frequent incapability of students<br>
> to enter syntactically correct expressions.<br>
><br>
> Write a*(b+c in a written exam and the grader most likely will accept<br>
> it. A computer won't<br>
><br>
> Hope this helps.<br>
><br>
> Peter<br>
> ><br>
> > Thanks in advance for any advice!<br>
> > Mark<br>
> ><br>
><br>
<br>
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