Calculated question and wildcards

Calculated question and wildcards

by edel chadwick -
Number of replies: 2

I would really appreciate any help with this as I am quite bewildered, I assume I am doing something wrong but haven't the foggiest and this problem has arisen with some questions i have generated, but not others. 

I am using this string (0.15*{plateV}*0.005)/{thickness}

Defining {plateV} as between 3 and 9 (to one decimal place)

{thickness} between 0.002 and 0.004 

The problem I am having is making the {thickness} range stick. I use 'same existing private dataset as before' and 'do not synchronise'

then I define my wildcards, it calculates correctly, but then when I try to add a new one, I get something like this


(0.15*{plateV}...
(0.15*6.2*0.005)/3.5 = 0.00    <--Number in bold is the problem
ERROR Correct answer : 0.00 outside limits of true value
Min: 0.0012887142857143 --- Max: 0.0013684285714286

I have clicked 'update dataset parameters' and I get the correct calculation, but every time I try and add new ones, the second wild card is defaulting to a number between 1-10. 

I have tried every combination of forcing regeneration and still the same issue. 

This issue has appeared in a number of other questions I have tried, and it always seems to be an issue when I try and divide by 1000 or use very small numbers 


moodle docs for the page has 39 in the URL, So I believe I am using the current version. 


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In reply to edel chadwick

Re: Calculated question and wildcards

by Dominique Bauer -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers
Hello Edel,

The Calculated question does work. You will get the hang of using it. Just be persistent. Perhaps (0.15*{plateV}*0.005)/(0.001*{thickness}), where {thickness} is set between 2 and 4, would work better. If you're stuck with this question, you can always drop the XML file here and maybe someone can take a look.

If you have multiple problems like this one, with various random variables, maybe over ranges with non-uniform steps, I suggest you consider using the Formulas question type, which is powerful and easy to use.
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In reply to Dominique Bauer

Re: Calculated question and wildcards

by edel chadwick -
It does work, because I can see moodle give the correct answer, any time I click the update parameters. And I have done many other of a similar type, it is just that occasionally I can't get the defined range of the wildcard to stick!

I will try 'rephrasing' the question and see if that makes a difference


Thank you for your response
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