Display format for numeric variables

Updated 30 Aug 2024

After you define numeric and numeric list variables and insert them in item content, you can preview variable values to see the randomized numeric values as students might see them (Standard View Randomized).

By default, the values in numeric variables display to their full calculated precision (up to 8 digits) in student view. For values where less than 8 digits conveys full precision, less digits are shown.
For example, if you define the variable "mass" with a minimum of 1.00 and a maximum of 5.00 using a step of 0.5, the value will display to 1 digit for 1 g, but two digits for 1.5 g.

Some sample values with their full calculated precisions are shown here.

Value	Default numeric display (full precision)
pi	3.1415927
2	2
Round (pi, -4)	3.1416
sigdig (1234.5, 3)	1230
1.001	1.001

Change from full-precision display for numeric variable values

Format	Sample display for 1234.5	Meaning
#	1235	Integer format. Rounds the value to the nearest integer.
#.	1235.	Integer format with trailing decimal point.
#.#	1234.5	Floating point with 2 digits of precision. Additional digits of precision are added by providing more pound signs to the right of the decimal. For example, #.## produces 1234.50.
#.##E+00	1.23*10^03	Scientific notation (same rules for digits of precision as for floating point, described above). The E+00 portion specifies the minimum number of digits for the exponent. To increase the number of exponent digits, add more zeros (for example, E+000).
{2}	1200	Round and display to 2 significant figures, using loose significant figure conventions. (For information about loose sigfig conventions, see Significant figures and grading tolerance.)
[2]	1.2*10^3	Round and display to 2 significant figures, using tight significant figure conventions. (For information about tight sigfig conventions, see Significant figures and grading tolerance.)
[2.]	1.2*10^3	See information about trailing-dot notation in Significant figures and grading tolerance.