Create a Math Equation Response Item

1. Click Assessments.
2. Select Browse Item Bank NEW.

3. Click Create Item at the top right hand side of the screen.
4. Use the dropdown menu to select Math Equation Response as the item type.

5. Enter the Item Stem. The prompt is the beginning part of an item that presents a problem to be solved, a direct question, or an incomplete statement to be completed, as well as any other relevant information.
   • To insert a line break in the Stem, use shift-return (or shift-enter, depending on the keyboard).
6. Use the dropdown menu to select which Grade Level Equation Editor should be attached to the item. The selection made here will be provided both to you as the author to enter the correct answer, and also to students who are taking the item on an assessment
7. Use the dropdown menu to select a Validation Type.
   • Literal Validation means that with certain exceptions, the student’s answer will need to be identical to the “official” correct answer to be recognized as correct. For instance, if the correct answer is defined as “5/4”, then “1¼”, “10/8”, “1.25”, and “125%” would all be scored as incorrect. The exceptions are as follows:
     • Extra spaces are ignored. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “x+3”, then “x + 3” will also be accepted (and vice versa).
     • Leading zeros are ignored. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “0.5”, then “.5” will also be accepted (and vice versa).
     • Commas used as thousands separators are ignored. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “1000”, then “1,000” will also be accepted (and vice versa).
     • The multiplication symbol (×) and multiplication dot (⋅) are treated as interchangeable, as are the radical sign (√ ) with and without a 2 to indicate square root.
   • Symbolic Validation means that if the student’s answer is mathematically equivalent to the correct answer, it will in most cases be recognized as correct.
8. Use the on-screen equation editor and/or the keyboard to specify the “official” correct answer. Depending upon the Validation selection and certain other item settings, a Math Equation Response may accept answers that are not identical to the “official” correct answer.
9. If alternate answers are going to be accepted, select Add Alternate. Repeat as needed. This step may not be needed depending on the Validation type.
10. Use the checkboxes to either “Allow Trailing Zeros”  or  “Ignore Order”:
    • If the “Allow Trailing Zeros” option is checked, then validation will be indifferent to the presence or absence of trailing zeros. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “30”, then “30.00” will also be accepted, and vice versa. Similarly, if the correct answer is defined as “5.04”, then “5.040”, “5.0400” and so forth will be recognized as correct. This may be appropriate when dealing with dollar values, where student may be likely to add a decimal place and zeros to the end of an answer, or with measurements, if significant figures are not important.
    • If “Ignore Order” is checked, then validation will be indifferent to the order of multiplicands and addends. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “3⋅x+5”, then “5+x⋅3” will also be recognized as correct. This setting also allows the sides of an equation or inequality to be swapped to produce an equivalent expression. E.g., if the correct answer is defined as “x=3”, then “3=x” will also be recognized as correct, and if the correct answer is defined as “x<3”, then “3>x” will also be recognized as correct.

12. To link a Passage to the item, click the Book icon.
13. To link Standard(s) to the item, click the Three Pages icon.
14. To add Tags to the item, click the Tag icon.
15. Additional Settings are available to edit per item such as Enabling/Disabling Feedback, a Prompt, and Rationale.

16. Click Item Preview to see a preview.
17. You can select to preview the item from a Student or Instructor role.
18. Test the item by using the equation editor to enter a response.
19. Check Check Answers to test whether the response you have entered is recognized as correct. An incorrect response will be indicated in red.

20. When you've completed creating/editing your item, click Done.
21. To make your item available to use in an assessment click Publish.
22. To save an item that you aren't ready to publish, click Save Draft.
23. To delete your item click Discard.

Now that you have created a Math Equation Response item, learn about Creating a NEW Item Bank Assessment.