Numeric value or expression answer type
(Simple Editor)

• One term for correct answer: By default, the number of terms that the student needs to solve for is 1. If the correct answer has one term, you can leave the check box blank for Correct answer has.
• Two or more terms for correct answer: If the answer requires more than one term, select the check box for Correct answer has and then click the down arrow to choose the number of terms required. The answer box changes to display correct answer boxes for the number of terms you set, labeled Correct Answer Term 1, Correct Answer Term 2, and so on.

• Click the add solve for link to enter text or a mathematical expression that will appear before "=", such as "m , x". The equals sign is supplied for the answer—you don't have to enter it.
• Click the add units link to enter a unit as text or an expression that will appear after the answer, such as "meters". (If you want students to enter both value and units as an answer, use the numeric value with units answer type.
• Click the add pre-text link to enter text, like a sentence or sentence fragment, to appear before the answer. For terms like "sum =" it's easier to use the add solve for option, as described above.
• Click the add post-text link to enter text to appear after the answer.

For numeric answers, student answers are considered correct if they match the coded answer to the specified grading tolerance. In general, you can accept the default tolerance value of 2%.

• [Optional] To change the grading tolerance: Specify another value in the box for Acceptable variation or rounding error.For more information on grading tolerance, see Significant figures and tolerance.
  

• [Optional] To show the rounding message to students: Click the check box for Show additional rounding message... when the student response from the current part is used for a calculation of a subsequent part. For example, the student calculates a response for Part A. The response from part A is needed in the calculation of Part B. The student should use the full precision number from Part A in the Part B calculation.

  The additional rounding messages that displays to students is:
  "If you need this result for any later calculation in this item, keep all the digits and round as the final step before submitting your answer."

  For more details, see How significant figures and tolerance work in Mastering and/or Guidelines for setting significant figures and tolerance.

1. Enter the correct value in the Correct Answer box. You can enter supported TeX code for this answer type directly into the Correct Answer text box. Supported TeX (see link below) for the answer type renders in the text box. If the TeX does not render, the answer is not supported. If the text box becomes unresponsive after entering unsupported TeX

   Choose Undo, save your edits to that point, and then close and reopen the item in the Simple Editor.

   Supported TeX for correct answer in the numeric value or expression answer type

   Greek letters and some other symbols (support varies by answer type): \alpha, \beta, \gamma, \Delta, \delta, \epsilon, \eta, \theta, \kappa, \lambda, \mu, \nu, \pi, \rho, \Sigma, \sigma, \tau, \phi, \chi, \Psi, \psi, \Omega, \omega, \EMF, and \hbar
   
   For more information: Choose keyboard shortcuts or Help above the numeric value or expression answer box in Standard View. (These topics are available in Mastering Student Help.)

   MasteringPhysics and MasteringEngineering vector notation
   

   You must code vector answer values using infix, with subscripts using tags that end in either vec or evec. For physics, F_k_vec is the only acceptable notation for vectors with subscript answer values. For engineering, F_k_evec is the only acceptable notation for vectors with subscript answer values.

2. [Optional] Answer format (display of significant figures): Numeric answers are displayed to 3 significant figures, without using scientific notation for values like 200. Mastering evaluates the student answer against the truncated formatted correct answer. When this box is blank, the default value of 3 significant figures is in effect; only enter a value if you want to change the default value. More information about significant figures

   If you do reset the number of significant figures required for the correct answer, you should specify the new value for students in the instruction text. (This is the only way students will know that the usual default precision does not apply.)

3. [Optional] Click either add an additional correct answer or add an additional correct answer set and enter the additional correct answer(s).

• Although optional, it is recommended that you provide wrong-answer feedback. Wrong-answer feedback can help students learn from their mistakes or incorrect choices.
• Mastering provides the initial feedback "Try Again", followed by the follow-up text. Example of wrong-answer feedback in student view (Standard View)

  

• If the correct answer contains more than one term, set a single wrong answer response for each incorrect answer combination. Click add response as needed. Example of numeric value or expression wrong-answer feedback area in the Simple Editor

  

To add wrong answer-feedback for the numeric value or expression answer type:

1. Click the add wrong-answer feedback link.
2. Enter an answer for each term in the column "If student gives this answer". The correct tolerance % and format is shown below each term.

   About entering TeX in this text box: Supported TeX that you enter renders automatically. If the TeX code does NOT render, the coded answer is not supported. For more information, see step 1 of the "Add the correct answer" section above.

3. Enter your wrong answer feedback, using your keyboard and options from the editing toolbar and menus.
4. [Optional] Click add response to generate additional rows for as many wrong answers and associated wrong-answer feedback as you need.

   To reorder wrong-answer responses: Click the Move Up or Move Down arrows to reorder the wrong answers and associated feedback.

   To delete wrong-answer responses: Click Delete choice in the row for the response.

5. [Optional] To check your edits without saving, click Validate (from the top toolbar) to verify the XML.
6. To save your edits, click Save (from the top toolbar) or the Save & Preview link (top right). Do NOT press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Command-S (Mac OS).
7. [Optional] Test the student experience of wrong-answer feedback by submitting different incorrect answers in the saved item.
   

To delete wrong answer feedback: Click Delete on the toolbar for the response.

Follow-up text appears after students submit a correct answer, to reinforce learning by offering more information or providing an interpretation of the answer the student just submitted.

1. Click the add follow-up text link.
2. Enter your answer feedback, using your keyboard and options from the editing toolbar and menus.

To delete follow-up text: Click the remove follow-up link.