A fill-in-the-blank question using random numbers

Hi Mike,

Welcome to the community!

Have you thought about creating a question bank? Not sure if that's a good solution for you, but figured I'd at least start a conversation, and it wouldn't involve variables. Tutorial on using question banks.

Otherwise, please shout out so others can chime in.

If you have the random number figured out, then you should be able to accomplish this by doing the following.

1. Create a third variable (perhaps randomSum).
2. Assing random numbers to random#1 and random#2 
3. Adjust randomSum to equal random#1
4. Add a second trigger under the last to adjust randomSum again to add the variable random#2 to its current value
5. Check that the value entered by the user (a fourth variable) is equal to randomSum

In order to actually create a graded quiz question out of this, you may need to add some additional variables and functionality that basically sets a true/false question to true when randomSum equals what the user entered and false when it is not.  To the user it will look like a fill in the blank question, but it will be a true/false question behind the scenes.

Hope that makes sense.  Attached is a example (though I was not able to get my Javascript random number generator to work).

Ah, this time with Javascript that works! (remember to publish first).

Hi Mike! I wanted to take an opportunity to welcome you to E-Learning Heroes! Looks like Becky and Josh are assisting you.  Just let us know if you need anything further.

Hello,

   Thank you for your quick replies and, Josh, thanks so much for making that example for me!   For some reason, however, the numbers remain at the default values of 2 and 4, no matter how many times I open the published program.   Similarly, when I publish according to these instructions:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/145576547

I see that I just get the text box to display whatever the default value of randnum is... I checked to make sure that javascript is enabled in the browser that I'm using to open the published story.html file... any thoughts?

Thank you!

Cheers,

Mike

You tried my second example?  The javascript on the first example wasn't working for me, but the second works fine when I publish.  I even use the retry quiz option and it changes the numbers each time.  I am using an older version of Internet Explorer as my browser.

Hi Josh,

   Thanks for your quick reply again!   Actually, I just now saw your reply - the first replies I got were sent to my e-mail, so I assumed that reply would be as well?

   I have tried both files.   My computer runs them with the identical problem.   And, if I run it once, exit, and run it again, I get

"Resume: Would you like to resume where you left off?"

If I say "yes", it takes me to the results slide.   If I say "no", I always see 2 + 4...

Including when I try using Internet Explorer :(

Thanks,

Mike

I am attaching a simpler file that should just generate a random number on the first slide.   For me, though, it's always the default number of "1".   Maybe this can be used to diagnose what my problem is?

Hi Mike,

I believe it will only keep sending replies to your post if you have clicked the 'subscribe to replies' button for this thread.

Your file works fine for me.  Perhaps your security settings are disabling the running of scripts or ActiveX controls?

Hmm, that wouldn't surprise me.   I feel like normally my browser will tell me when that is going on, though.   Is there a way for me to check and find out?  

And, perhaps more seriously, if my student CHOOSES to disable scripts or something, they will also always see "2+4", right?   So an easy way to cheat would be for a student to make an answer key saying "the answer is 6, but you must disable scripts".   If that's the case, then that might be something for Articulate to think about, because I think many educators want problems that are randomized to prevent such answer keys from getting made... or is there a way to make it such that the publication doesn't load at all unless scripts are enabled?

Thanks for all your help,

Mike

If you are running the presentation from an LMS or webserver, I believe the scripts will typically be enabled.  It really comes down to your internet security settings though.  There isn't anything Articulate can do about it since it a preference a user can choose on his own.  Articulate is never going to be able to override a computer's security settings.  It is probably best to add some instruction on enabling scripts if you feel it is a problem.

You could always keep the presentation from advancing based on whether the values have changed for a variable.  For example, you have javascript that randomly gives a value of 1 to10 to a specific variable on the first slide.  Initially set the value of that variable to 99.  Then on one of the first slides you can check if the value is still 99.  If so, lightbox a slide that tells the user he must enable scripts and restart the presentation.  You could even lock the ability to advance to the next slide by adding a condition to the 'next slide' trigger that the variable is not equal to 99.

Thanks for all of your help here Josh! 

Mike, thanks for keeping us updated on your progress/questions as well.

Hello,

   OK, some success!   Sure enough, when I post on Blackboard, the random number generator works!   Well, it works for the simple random number generator I sent you.   For some reason, I'm still getting 2+4 for both of the files you posted :(

   However, there is another issue that I've realized.   Is there a way to do the addition inside of javascript, instead of having two triggers, one to assign and one to add?   Suppose we had a problem of, instead of addition, something like "what is [random1] raised to the [random2] power?"   (Like 2^3, 3^6, etc.)   So even if javascript doesn't have exponentiation built into it (I've never programmed in js before), presumably we could solve the problem with loops (loop from 1 to [random2], each time multiply [answer] by [random1]).

   I hate to keep bothering you, but I wonder if there is a sample .story file that does this addition inside of javascript instead of via triggers?

Thank you very much!

You could certainly set something like that up with variables and loops, but I would look into whether you could accomplish it through javascript.  It would be much simpler that way.  Trying to do it driectly through Storyline might be more of an effort than it is worth.