Required parts

Multipart questions with required parts

Algebrakit allows students to be flexible and choose their own solution approach. But sometimes, you want to force students to write a specific step. For example,

• you want students to follow a specific approach
• or you want students to write intermediate steps.

Live example: Examples of multipart problems.

Example 1: Enforce a specific approach

Consider the first example.

There are several ways to solve this equation, but you want students to follow the approach of expanding the brackets. To do so, split the task into two parts, one to expand the brackets and one to solve the expanded part for $p$.

Figure: The tasks.

For the part to expand the brackets, use the dropdown menu to make it required.

Figure: make a part required.

A star symbol indicates that this part is now required.

Figure: a star indicates the task is required.

If students attempt to solve the exercise without expanding the brackets, Algebrakit will notify them that they have missed a step.

Figure: the student gets feedback when skipping a required step.

Example 2: Write all intermediate steps

Consider the following STEM exercise.

We want to deduct points if the student does not write the standard formula for speed and time, $d=v\times t$. Create a separate part called "formula" and make that part required. We also make that part a precondition of the solution.

Figure: The intermediate part of writing the formula.

Defining criteria

Notice that the intermediate part that defines the formula lacks a task. That is because, instead of a specific task the student needs to solve, we want the student to provide exact input: the formula. Instead of a task, we define criteria for this part.

Figure: Defining the criteria for writing the formula.

If students do not write the formula, Algebrakit will not evaluate the expression. Instead, Algebrakit will give feedback. Algebrakit will also not award marks for the input, even if this input is correct.

Solving an exercise with required intermediate steps

Figure: A student receives feedback that they skipped a step.

Once a student enters the formula, Algebrakit grades all steps and awards the marks.

Figure: A student enters the formula afterward.

With assessment mode enabled, students will not receive immediate feedback. Students will receive the marks for the correct steps, but Algebrakit will not award the marks for the skipped step.

Figure: What a reviewer sees on an omitted required step.