Adjust scoring tolerances
Updated 15 Sep 2025
You can adjust the scoring tolerances, or the range of acceptable values, for individual questions. For example, you might want to allow a range of answers for questions that require rounding.
You also can award partial credit for unsimplified answers and set the number of tries for parts of a question.
To apply these settings to multiple questions, see View and edit the questions on a test.
Access question scoring options
- From the Test Manager, select Actions > Edit for the test containing the question.
- In step 2, select a question number from the Available Questions or My Selections.
- In the preview player, select Scoring options next to the question points.
Change numeric answer tolerance
You can:
- Select use an absolute tolerance and choose a level from the list.
- Select use a percentage tolerance and enter a percentage in the box.
The sample box shows the effect of your choice.
Numeric answer tolerance examples
| Publisher-defined
correct answer |
Instructor-defined
tolerance |
Range of
accepted answers |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
4.32 ± 0.01
|
0.001 |
4.31 – 4.33
|
There are 2 correct answers. Instructor tolerance is less than publisher tolerance. The instructor tolerance is ignored for both answers. |
|
4.32 ± 0.01
|
0.1 |
4.22 – 4.42
|
There are 2 correct answers. Instructor tolerance is greater than publisher tolerance. The instructor tolerance is applied to both answers. |
|
6,432.75 ± 0.01
|
0.05% |
6,429.55 – 6,435.97
|
There are 2 answers. Instructor tolerance of 0.05% of the correct answer is greater than the publisher tolerance and is applied to both answers. |
|
(3,4) |
0.1 |
(2.9 – 3.1, 3.9 – 4.1) |
The answer is an ordered pair and no publisher tolerance is defined. Instructor tolerance is applied to each value in the ordered pair. |
|
432 |
1% |
427.68 – 436.32 |
There is one correct answer and no publisher tolerance is defined. Instructor tolerance of 1% of the correct answer is applied. |
|
432 |
1.0 |
431 – 433 |
There is one correct answer and no publisher tolerance is defined. Instructor tolerance of 1.0 is applied. |
|
0.1 |
|
The answer is a fully reduced fraction and no publisher tolerance is defined. Instructor tolerance of 0.1 is applied. Terminating decimal equivalents within this range are also accepted: 0.1 – 0.3. |
|
432 |
1.0 |
432 |
This numeric answer uses an answer rule that does not allow tolerance. For example, accept only the specified form. (When a green triangle Instructor tolerance is not applied. |
and tooltip do not appear for the answer in Preview mode, the answer does not allow tolerance.)
Give partial credit for unsimplified answers
In math programs, select Award partial credit and enter a percentage of full credit that students receive when they enter an unsimplified correct answer.
Partial credit examples
| Publisher-defined correct answer |
Sample answers accepted for partial credit |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 3(x + 7) | 3x + 21 |
|
|
|
|