A simple example

We will start by seeing how to create a simple exercise with WIRIS quizzes. With it, we can introduce the minimum elements for an exercise to be functional.

A standard Moodle exercise has several fields in which the teacher inserts the elements that will compose the exercise, such as the wording, the correct answer, several student feedbacks, etc. WIRIS quizzes maintains this structure and simply adds a calculation session at the end of the exercise, and is also capable of interacting with every element. 

The simplest interaction, the only one we will see in this example, consists of using math variables in the wording and answers of the exercise. In order to gain access to one of the variables, we must reference them with the syntax:

#variable

The first exercise presents to the student a 3x3 random matrix the elements of which are integers between -3 and 3. The student must calculate the determinant and insert the answer in a text field.

Steps to follow:

1. In Create a new question menu, we must choose Short answer. The edition page for this type of questions will display. 
   
   
    
2. Provide a title for the question in Question name field.
3. Write the following wording in Answer text field: "Calculate the determinant of the matrix #m". As we mentioned, m will be the name of the variable we will create shortly in the WIRIS cas session where we will store the desired matrix.
   
   
    
4. Write in Answer 1 section, in Answer field, the name of the variable that will contain the correct answer that, again, we will calculate in the WIRIS cas session. For example, #sol.

All these steps are identical to those we would do to create any question with Moodle Quiz, except for names preceded by the # sign.

The last section of the question is called WIRIS quizzes and can be collapsed or expanded. If it is collapsed, you must click . Several fields will display. We will explain them in future sections, but the most important is the Algorithm field.

Now we must create the matrix and calculate the determinant with WIRIS cas. In order to create a matrix of random elements between -3 and 3, we will use the  command for each element. In this example, we provide a name for the function for simplification purposes. To insert the matrix, go to Matrices tab in the menu, click  icon and accept the default matrix dimensions, 3x3. Determinant function is internal in WIRIS cas.

Please observe that the functions required for the exercise must be typed in the yellow box:

Commands written outside this box are used to verify functions and values in the yellow box, but will not be taken into account in the development of the exercise. Once we are satisfied with the result, we just have to save the result by clicking the  button and we will see our first exercise with WIRIS quizzes. Congratulations!

Of course, WIRIS quizzes can do plenty of other things, but if you wish to discover them, you will have to keep reading the manual.