How do I create a Desmos volume & surface area item?
In Mastery Connect, if your institution has a paid Desmos upgrade, you can create a volume & surface area question. A volume & surface area question requires students to manipulate the parameters of a rectangle to illustrate volume and surface area in response to a stimulus. After you select the question type, you can use the math editor to add details for the question, view a student preview, and validate answers.
You can create any item type through the Item Editor. You can also use the Item Editor to add passages, add item-level tools, and save the item. To open and use the Item Editor, learn more about:
- Creating an item in your personal item bank
- Creating an item in the district item bank as an administrator
- Creating an item from within an assessment
Note: If you do not see the Desmos Items (Paid Upgrade) section in the Question Type drop-down menu, your institution does not have a paid Desmos upgrade.
Compose Question
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In the Item Editor, type in the Compose Question field [1]. To add math equations and expressions, click the Add Math icon [2] and use the options to enter the expression details.
Set Example Answer
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To set an example answer, click and drag the points to the correct positions.
Set Properties
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To adjust the question parameters, select options from the question properties [1].
To view additional question options, click the More options drop-down menu [2].
Modify Graph and More Options
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In the Modify Graph section, click and drag the points to create a graph for students to start with when answering the question [1]. You can modify graph settings, expressions, and parameters.
To define parameters for the graph, type in the Expression fields [2].
To adjust font size, click the Font size drop-down menu and select a size option [3].
Validate Answers
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To preview the item interaction, click and drag the points to a new location on the graph. [1].
The number of points awarded for the item as answered in the preview window over the number of points possible displays in the scoring bubble [2].
To view correct and incorrect answers, click the Show Answers checkbox [3].