Use the Edit Number Line window
Updated 28 Aug 2023
The Edit Number Line window lets you define a number line to add to a question created in the Custom Question Builder.
Students cannot interact with number lines that you create in the Custom Question Builder.
To access the Edit Number Line window, click Number Line in the left menu.
The Number Line option is not available in econ, finance, and operations management courses.
See Use a number line in a math question for an example of creating a number line.
The Edit Number Line window has two tabbed pages where you can define your number line. These tabs are described in the following sections.
Number Line tab
Minimum - Enter the lowest value you want to display in your number line.
Maximum - Enter the highest value you want to display in your number line.
You can right-click in the Minimum and Maximum boxes and select Editing Options to insert algorithmic values or math functions (if available in your course), or you can type in these value and functions directly.
Tick Spacing - Enter a number to change the increments for tick spacing in your number line. For example, if you enter 2, the tick marks represent increments of 2 (... -8, -6, -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, ...). Right-click and select Editing Options to insert algorithmic values or math functions, or you can type in these values and functions directly.
If the tick spacing is greater than the limits of your number line, you only see tick marks for the origin and the number line limits.
Axis Label - Select one of the options in this section to specify which values to label in your number line:
- Label Minimum and Maximum - Label only the minimum and maximum values in the number line. For example, if the range of your number line is from -100 to 100, only these two values are labeled.
- Label Every n ticks - Label every n tick marks. For example, if the range of your number line is from 0 to 100, tick spacing is 5 and you label every 2 ticks, the values 0, 10, 20, 30, and so on are labeled.
Authoring notes - Enter any information you might need if you edit the number line later.
Plots tab
Click Add to enter a template for the plot in the box. Then edit the template using the options below. Select a plot and click Remove to delete the plot.
Minimum and Maximum Value - To plot an interval, enter the minimum and maximum values of the interval in the boxes. To plot a point, enter the same value in both boxes.
You can right-click and choose Editing Options on the boxes to enter already-defined algorithmic values, constants, and functions (if available in your course) or you can type in these values and functions directly. You can also create new algorithmic values. For example, you can graph an infinite interval by right-clicking and choosing Constants > +INFINITY or -INFINITY.
Includes minimum/maximum value - Select this option to place a closed circle at the interval endpoint. If this option is not checked, an open circle appears at the interval endpoint. If you are plotting a point, select Includes maximum value to make the point a closed circle.
Show Label - Select this option to label the interval endpoints. For example, if your interval extends from -5 to 10, the numbers -5 and 10 are displayed at the interval endpoints.
Color - Click the color code box to display the color chart, and then select the color for your plot by clicking a color or by entering a color code in the box.
Visible - Clear this option to make your plot invisible.
Use Interval Notation - Select this option to replace the circles at the interval limits with brackets or parentheses. This option works in conjunction with the Includes minimum/maximum value options:
- When Includes minimum/maximum value is selected, the circle at the applicable interval endpoint is replaced by brackets (inclusive notation).
- When Includes minimum/maximum value is not selected, the circle at the applicable interval endpoint is replaced by parentheses (exclusive notation).