Open Response with WeBWorK LaTeX

Features:

Create a problem using any number of the following answers:
- Worded answers
- Numerical values
- Mathematical Expressions
Allows for multiple BLANKS and answers (explained in Step 4 in the example below)
Can allow students to see which answers chosen are correct or incorrect
Provides a way for professors to give students a detailed solution or method to solve the problem.

In this section, we will walk you through the steps of making an Open Response Problem that also uses the WeBWorK LaTeX syntax. There is also a video tutorial on this section.

Below is what you would have to type in the WbWrkGUI to incorporate LaTeX in your problems.

\( LaTeX Code \)

Do NOT use LaTeX in the Answers you input in <Enter an Answer>.

To learn about what is different about LaTeX in WeBWorK, please click on the pdf link on this site:

http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/File:WeBWorK_Problem_Authoring_Tutorial.pdf#.T4NKnvtrNiN

Below is an example of what the Open Response Problem we will create looks like in WeBWorK, in the student view.

1. Enter what you would like to name the file of the problem you will create in the text box under "Problem Name:"

For our example, we will go with “Open Response Problem LaTeX.”

Do not include the quotation marks in the WbWrkGUI if you are following along the example.

2. Click the “Select Destination” button to open another window that contains the documents on your computer (See below.

Save your file in a location where you can easily access it.

We will save to the Desktop.

You can also type in your file destination but we recommend using the “Select Destination” option.

3. Type in what you want your question to be in the large yellow text box with the prompt “<Enter the Problem Text>”.

a. For the example problem, “What is \(\int xdx\)?” which will display an integral sign before xdx. (See below for what to input into the GUI)

b. To include LaTeX syntax, just follow the following format:

\( LaTeX Code \)

4. Type in the answer in the text box under "Answers:"

a. Using our example, type "1/2x^2"

b. Click the “Add as Numerical Expression” button.

c. This application also understands how to read answers that are mathematically equivalent.

d. Using our example, if the student inputs

i. 1/2x^2,

ii. (1/2)x^2

iii. 0.5x^2

iv. (2/4)x^2 or

v. 2/4x^2 the answer will still be correct.

The green text box holds the answers you add. You can have multiple answers in a problem by typing "BLANK" (in all caps, without the quotation marks) in the problem. For example, your problem text would be "Fill in the blanks with the appropriate number. 2, 4, BLANK, 16, BLANK" the answers would be "8" and "32" with 8 being at the top of the list of answers. To move the answers to match the correct order the BLANKs are in, use the "Move Answer Up" and "Move Answer Down" buttons or you can eliminate that answer completely by the "Remove Answer" button.

The "Add as Worded Answer" is for answers that are words. For example, if the question is "What is the last name of the physicist who is famous for the three laws of motion?" and the answer would be "Newton" which would be a worded answer. For "Add as a Numerical Value" the answer would just be a number. Our example uses "Add as Mathematical Expression" because we have the term 'x' in the answer.

5. The optional Detailed Solutions section allows you to show students what steps to take to solve the problem. Students will be able to see the detailed solution after the homework set is closed (after the due date of the homework). See the screenshots below to see how to input the detailed solution to our example using LaTeX and what the student will see in WeBWorK if they select the "Show Solutions" checkbox.

6. When you are satisfied with the problem you wrote, click the “Create” button at the bottom right of the application. You should see text next to the “Create” button saying that the file was successfully created (See the filled out example below). If you go to the area you selected for the file destination, you should see a file with the name you chose with a “.pg” extension.