Sample Test Database

Set a descriptive title for the first topic...

       qu.1.topic=Differentiation@

Notice that all the fields are terminated by an "@" character. That's needed since a field can run over several lines.

This is the first question in the first topic, and it is multiple choice. List the possible choices in the choice fields and the number of the correct choice in the answer field.

       qu.1.1.mode= Multiple Choice@
       qu.1.1.question=What is the derivative of x log(x)? @
       qu.1.1.choice.1=log(x) @
       qu.1.1.choice.2=log(x) + 1 @
       qu.1.1.choice.3=1/x @
       qu.1.1.answer=1@

In general, the j'th question in the i'th topic is denoted by qu.i.j.

The second question in the first topic is free response. The answer field hold a formula for the correct answer, typed in in standard syntax.

       qu.1.2.mode=Formula@  
       qu.1.2.question=What is the derivative of x²? @
       qu.1.2.answer=2x@

Next we have a topic on integration...

       qu.2.topic=Integration@

Both of the questions in this topic are in "FormulaModC" mode. The student's response is graded correct if if differs from the formula in the answer field by a constant.

       qu.2.1.mode=Formula Mod C@  
       qu.2.1.question=What is the indefinite integral of 2x? @
       qu.2.1.answer=x^2@


       qu.2.2.mode=FormulaModC@  
       qu.2.2.question=Find the indefinite integral of cos(x) @
       qu.2.2.answer=sin(x) + 1@

       qu.3.topic=Trigonometry@

It's useful for the student to be able to type "sqrt(3)/2 rather than an decimal approximation here. But the "RestrictedFormula" mode stops a savvy student from typing "sin(Pi/3)" and getting the right answer!

       qu.3.1.mode= Restricted formula@  
       qu.3.1.question=What is sin(Pi/3)? @
       qu.3.1.answer=sqrt(3)/2@


       qu.3.2.mode= Restricted Formula@  
       qu.3.2.question=What is cos(180^o)? @
       qu.3.2.answer=-1@

The multi formula mode is good for lists of numbers where the order doesn't matter. For example, finding the solution to equations with multiple roots. On the other hand, "Ntuple" is useful for questions which have points in space as their answer.

       qu.4.topic=Solving equations@

       qu.4.1.mode= multi formula@  
       qu.4.1.question=Solve x² + x - 1 = 0 @
       qu.4.1.answer=(-1 + sqrt(5))/2 ; (-1 - sqrt(5))/2@

       qu.4.2.mode=NTuple@  
       qu.4.3.question=Solve the simultaneous equations y+x=1 and y-x=1@
       qu.4.4.answer=(0,1)@

Note that the equation mode requires that the answer provided in the test bank must be a ``simple eqation'' (i.e. one side of the equation must be a single variable). Nonetheless a student could correctly answer y-2 = 2(x-1) to this question.

       qu.5.1.mode=equation@  
       qu.5.1.question=Find the equation of the line from (1,2) to (4, 8)@
       qu.5.1.answer= y=2(x-1) + 2@

       qu.5.2.mode= dimensioned number@  
       qu.5.2.question=A skater travels 50m in 5s. What is her velocity?@
       qu.5.2.answer=10m s^{-1}@

The correct answer to a mutliple selection question is to select all of the correct choices (listed by index in the answer field) and none of the incorrect choices.

       qu.6.1.mode= multiple selection@  
       qu.6.1.question=Pick out the intervals making up the solution set to |x-2|+1@
       qu.6.1.choice.1= x>3@
       qu.6.1.choice.2= x>2@
       qu.6.1.choice.3= x>1@
       qu.6.1.choice.4= x<1@
       qu.6.1.choice.5= x<2@
       qu.6.1.choice.6= x<3@
       qu.6.1.answer=1,4@

The correct answer is obtained by matching each of the "terms" (formulas in this case) with the appropriate "def" (the derivative in this case). If more than one "def" is provided for a "term", the question will pick which one to offer at random each time it is set in a test.

       qu.7.1.mode=matching@  
       qu.7.1.question=Match the following functions with their derivatives:@
       qu.7.1.term.1=x²@
       qu.7.1.term.1.def.1=2x@
       qu.7.1.term.2=e^x@
       qu.7.1.term.2.def.1=e^x@
       qu.7.1.term.3=sin(x)@
       qu.7.1.term.3.def.1=cos(c)@
       qu.7.1.term.4=cos(x)@
       qu.7.1.term.4.def.1=-sin(x)@

When the question is set, the student is presented with a drop-down menu in each of the loactions marked with <i>. The terms in the "terms" field are offered on the drop-down menu, and the student must fill the blanks correctly. Note that each sentence must have only one correct completion (so we couldn't afford to inlude the word "negative" in the terms list in the example below!)

       qu.8.1.mode=complete sentence@  
       qu.8.1.question=When a function is <1> then its derivative is always <2>@
       qu.8.1.blank.1=increasing@
       qu.8.1.blank.2=positive@
       qu.8.1.terms=increasing, decreasing, positive, zero@