Scientific Notation

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epolomsk
Community Participant

How can I create a question in canvas quiz where students can give their answer in
scientific notation?
This is a very basic functionality, but I cant figure out how to do it in canvas.

2 Solutions
debra_mansperge
Community Contributor

I got around this by making students enter the coefficient and the power of 10 using drop down boxes.  Here is a screen grab of what that looks like.

334745_pastedImage_1.png

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dberry
Community Member

This was a major frustration last spring (2020), but there's some good news...  the "NEW QUIZ" feature (not available everywhere) lets you generate formula questions and accept answers in scientific notation.

It's inflexible,

Let's say the answer in non-sci notation is 1234.56

if you require (e.g.) 2 decimal places in the answer, you would have to answer 1.23*10^3.   1.234*10^3 would be rejected.  Other rejected answers include 1.23*10^03, 1.23E3, 1.23e3, you get the idea.  just x.xx * 10^y

It's ironic that the generated answers appear to the instructor as 1.23 x 10^3, but that would be rejected as a correct answer.  It has to be 1.23 * 10^3.

HOWEVER, you can specify a RANGE of correct answers using sci notation.  For example, the sort(1000) = 31.62, and you can set it to accept anything between 3.10*10^1 and 3.20*10^1.  It auto graded correctly, giving credit for 31.62, 3.12, and 3.29,

I had to specifically request to add the "New Quiz" option to my courses, but I think it's worth it.

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