OPTIMATH
Online Practice and Testing in Mathematics

• Basic procedures
• System requirements
• Question types and syntax
• Other hints and information

Using the online testing system

Online testing and practice in this course is done at a special web site called OPTIMATH. You can complete homework assignments and practice exercises from any computer you want, using most web browsers, as well as check your scores and review your previous assignments. You must take the proctored exams (if any) in the presence of a designated proctor. Practice exercises are especially useful for reviewing material for upcoming exams.
__________

Basic procedures:

The testing system is located at http://msenux.redwoods.edu/optimath.

The first page of the testing site contains a list of course sections using the system. Click on the link for your section (corresponding to your course and instructor) to take you to your section login page. You also may want to bookmark this page on your browser.

Login page: Your login name is just like the one that you use for WebAdvisor and Blackboard: first initial + last name + last three digits of your student ID#. For example, if your name is John Doe and your student ID# is 1234567, then your login name is jdoe567. Your initial password is your full 7-digit student ID#, but you can (and should) change it once you log in.

After you log in, you have just five options (each of these options is explained in more detail below):

• Choose Assignment to take online.
• View Assignment Results (includes your answers, the correct answers, and solutions).
• Change password
• Email your instructor
• Log out

Important: Do not use the "Back" and "Forward" buttons on your browser when you are using the testing system. If you do, you will be immediately logged out of the system. Instead, use the links on each page to move around (there are really only five places to go, namely the options listed above ( Choose Assignment, View Assignment Results, etc.).

Choose Assignment:

• Click on the link for the assignment that you want to take. A new assignment will be prepared for you (it might take a few seconds), and then you will be presented with a second link for your particular version of that assignment in pdf (Acrobat) form.
• Click on this second link to download the assignment to your computer. If you have a dialup connection, it might take about 30 seconds or so to download this pdf document. Assuming that your Adobe Reader software is correctly configured, the assignment should open up inside your browser. If the document does not open up in your browser, see the System Requirements section below.
• Follow the instructions given in the assignment.
  • You must click on the Begin Assignment button to start.
  • Then proceed through the assignment, using either the Back and Next buttons at the top of each page, or the arrow buttons in Adobe Reader.
  • Answer fill-in questions using the same syntax that you would use on your calculator. If you're not sure of the syntax to use, click on the Help with Math Syntax link located under the answer box (or click here to see the same help information).
  • You must click on the End Assignment button when you are done. This will grade your assignment immediately, record your score, and return you to the the View Assignment Results screen on the Optimath web site.
    • Note to dialup users: Make sure that you are connected to the internet before you press the End Assignment button! You can check your connection by opening up second window or tab in your browser and then refreshing your home page.
  • You will now be at the View Assignment Results screen, where you can see your answers and the correct answers, along with detailed solutions.

View Assignment Results:

• Click on the link corresponding to the previous assignment that you want to view. You will again receive a pdf document that should open up within your browser. You will see your answers, the correct answers, and solutions to each problem. This is also a page length document that you can print if you wish.

Change password:

• Click on this link to change your password to something that will be easy to remember. If you ever forget your password, you will need to contact your instructor.

Email your instructor:

• This is a convenience link if you want to email your instructor. For example, you might want to ask about a particular question from one of the assignments. The link will open up your default email program.

Log out:

• Please remember to log out from the system when you are done.

__________

System requirements

The testing system requires an internet browser along with the Adobe® Reader®software. In particular, it requires that your Adobe Reader software be configured to open pdf files within your browser. That is the usual behavior after you install Adobe Reader, but it's possible that you may have changed that behavior in the Adobe Reader preferences.

• Windows: Your best option is the Firefox 3 browser with Adobe Reader version 9.
  
• Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer 6 or 7, with Adobe Reader version 6, 7, 8, or 9 will also work. If you have Windows XP, it is recommended that you install Adobe Reader 7, 8, or 9.
• Other browsers may or may not work.
• If your dialup or cable internet services uses "web accelerator" technology, then it is recommended that you use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.
• Mac OS X: Safari browser, with Adobe Reader version 8 or 9.
  • This is the only configuration that currently works in OS X.
• Linux: Firefox browser, with Adobe Reader
  • Other browsers may or may not work.

If pdf files do not open up within your browser, first try opening up Adobe Reader, look at the Preferences, check off the preference which says "open within browser", and then check that preference back on again. Then test your setup again. If it still doesn't work, then you may need to reinstall Adobe Reader. Make sure that you install the browser plugin if the installation program asks you.

Finally, you must also have Javascript enabled in Adobe Reader (this is the default setting).
__________

OPTIMATH Question Types and Syntax

OPTIMATH has a number of different question types. While some questions are multiple choice, most of them are "free response" with an answer box for you to type in your answer. For the most part, you can enter your answer in "calculator syntax", pretty much as you would on a graphing calculator. For more details, you should read the Math Syntax page. This page is also accessible to you during the tests (look for the link underneath each answer box). Most of what you need to know is mentioned on that page.

There are a few additional items that should be emphasized:

• Remember to look under the answer box for the description of the expected format of the answer. If you are not sure of the correct syntax, click on the math syntax link which is also located under the answer box.
  
  
• Unless explicitly specified otherwise, all questions take exact answers. If the answer is sqrt(2), then 1.41421 is not a correct answer, even if you type in 10 decimals.
  
  
• Be sure to include enough parentheses, and put them in the correct places. OPTIMATH evaluates your answer according to the usual rules of precedence in mathematics; operators of equal precedence get evaluated left to right. The order of precedence is (from highest to lowest):
  • parentheses
  • functions (like sin or sqrt)
  • powers (^)
  • multiplication and division
  • addition and subtraction

    For example:

    • sqrt(2)*x: The sqrt function has a higher precedence than multiplication; OPTIMATH sees this as (sqrt(2))*x, not as sqrt(2*x).
    • 4*2^3: the power has a higher precedence than multiplication; OPTIMATH sees this as 4*(2^3) or 32, not as 8^3.
    • 1/2/3/4: the divisions have equal precedence, so they get evaluated left to right: 1 divided by 2, then divided by 3, then divided by 4, or 1/24. If you want (1/2) divided by (3/4), put in parentheses, as (1/2)/(3/4)
      
      
• Spaces in your answer are ignored. Thus, the answers 5*x+2, 5x+2, and 5 x+ 2 would all be graded in the same way.


• Equivalent expressions are graded the same, in general. For example:
  • 6/4 and 3/2
  • 1/sqrt(2) and sqrt(2)/2
  • 3(x+4) and 3x+12
  However, there are some exceptions. If the question expressly indicates that your answer must be simplified, then you must enter the answer in a simplified form. A typical example would be a factoring problem, such as factoring the expression x²-4. In this case, you would have to enter either (x+2)(x-2) or (x-2)(x+2).
  
  When you view your corrected assignment, remember that the listed correct answer is usually just one possible correct form of the answer. In most cases, there are various forms of the answer that will be graded as correct.


• Exact answers vs. approximations: All answers must be exact, unless you are specifically requested to give an approximation. If you are asked to give an approximation, then your answer must be accurate to at least the requested number of decimal places after the decimal point. For example, you might be asked to provide an answer that is "accurate to at least three decimal places after the decimal point". In this case, any answer within 0.001 of the listed correct answer counts as correct. Thus, if the listed correct answer is 1.41421356237, then responses such as 1.414 or 1.4142 or 1.415 would all be graded as correct.
  
  
• While we are on the subject of approximate numerical answers: some word problems require you to find some intermediate results first. Make sure you use enough decimals of accuracy for those. If you round some intermediate value to two decimals, your final answer will not be correct to three decimals. You should use at least four or five decimals for the intermediate calculations, to be on the safe side.
  
  
• When it comes to typing in equations of curves, the basic rule is: your answer must be a single equation which has the same graph as the given correct answer. So, if the given answer is y=x+2, and you type in y-x=2, that is correct. However, if the answer is x=y^2, and you type in y=sqrt(x), that is wrong. The reason is that the graph of x=y^2 is a parabola, but the graph of y=sqrt(x) is the upper half of a parabola. You also cannot combine equations (for example, an answer such as y=sqrt(x),y=-sqrt(x) would be incorrect).
  
  
• Answers with units: You are probably used to adding units (such as "meters" or "seconds") to the answers of application problems. However, grading algorithms in OPTIMATH are not designed to accept answers with units. Therefore, do not add units to any of your answers. In particular, do not add "degrees" or "radians" to any of your answers. 


• Do not use mixed numbers - they will be graded as incorrect. Use fractions instead.
  
  
• If you are ever unsure why OPTIMATH graded your answer as incorrect, be sure to contact your instructor in person or by email. Your instructor can look at your answer and the listed correct answer, and then provide you with an explanation.

__________

Other hints and information:

• Which browser? You will need access to a computer with an internet connection and one of the supported operating system / web browser / Adobe Reader combinations. Alternatively, you can of course use computers at CR if you don't have your own computer and you come to CR frequently.
  
  
• Grading: Be sure to always grade your assignments. Your online assignment is not complete until you have finished the grading process. If you leave an assignment ungraded, then a score of 0 is recorded.
  
  
• Security: Be sure to log out of OPTIMATH or quit your browser when you are done working within the testing system. Otherwise, you will remain "logged in" to the testing system, and the next person to use the computer can assume your identity.
  
  
• Protecting your answers from system errors: As with all computer applications, occasionally problems may occur. For example, your computer or browser may freeze up and you may be forced to restart your system. In that case, you will need to start the assignment over. It's important to realize that while you are working on an OPTIMATH assignment, the assignment is actually located on your computer - your results are not saved until you finish the assignment. Thus, you should take precautions to preserve your answers, as follows:
  • To guard against losing answers in event of a system problem, be sure to carefully write down your answers on your scratch paper. When you go back into OPTIMATH, you will see a message stating that you have an "active" assignment that you may restart. In this case, OPTIMATH will retrieve the exact same version of the assignment that you were working on, but all of the answers will be blank. You can then retype your answers into the assignment.
  • Remember to stay within the assignment window while working on the assignment. Don't use the Back or Forward buttons on your browser. Also, only use single-clicks with the mouse on buttons and links, not double-clicks.
  • If a computer malfunction ultimately causes you to miss a problem, please contact your instructor right away. You may just have to take the assignment again, but at least your instructor can give you a deadline extension in this case.
  
  
• Technical problems: If the testing system doesn't seem to work correctly for you, be sure to consult your instructor.