Efofex News

We have implemented a new Mixed command for the inline calculator that displays a value as a mixed numeral / mixed fraction if possible. If the value cannot be displayed as a mixed number, the inline calculator will attempt to display the value as an exact value.

mixed(12/5) will be displayed as 2 2/5

The mixed command can be used on decimal values. Your decimal value will be converted to an exact value (if possible) and then displayed as a mixed numeral.

We have implemented a new display style and a calculator function to support it.

You can set an overall display style using the display button.

This will display the result of any calculation showing 3 significant figures.

The addition of a significant figure display style brings the total number of overall display styles to six:

Decimal, Rounded, Fixed, Scientific Notation, Exact and Significant Figures

We have also implemented a new inline calculator command which allows you to override the current overall display setting for an individual calculation.

sig(1343.4564,2) = 1300
sig(1343.4564) = 1340
sig(0.005204,3) = 0.00520

The format of the new command is:

sig(value,sf)

If you do not include a parameter for the number of significant figures, our products will default to 3 significant figures.

We have spent our summer break (we are based in the Southern Hemisphere) working hard to make the new MultiDocs systems ready for use by ALL of our customers. The capabilities of the system have been expanded while the usage for most teachers has been simplified. The Word toolbar, for example, now has two modes: Simple Mode, which allows any teacher to quickly load and regenerate an existing MultiDoc or build their own from our FX Library materials

and Expert Mode which gives you access to all the power of the MultiDocs system. This is ideal for anyone creating their own MultiDocs materials.

The more we have worked on the new system, the more convinced we are that MultiDocs represent a paradigm shift in how schools create and manage their mathematics assessments. The ability for ANY teacher (not just the “Efofex Guru”) to quickly load and regenerate a test or exam, getting a completely new version with fully-worked solutions (if created by the author) is truly game-changing.

If you haven’t had a look at the new system, please take the time to quickly peruse the MultiDocs website. It could dramatically improve your productivity.

Introduction to MultiDocs

FX Library is a collection of pre-written MultiDocs materials that you can use as exemplars to create your own questions or directly in tests and exams. FX Library is your best source of regeneratable MultiDocs materials.

Up until recently, we have provided the materials as one question per file. Feedback from teachers has indicated that this is not as useful as a module of materials on the same content.

While we may still release individual questions as individual documents, the majority of our materials will be released as modules in the future.

A module is a collection of questions/materials on the same topic. The questions will range from simple to complex and should allow you to quickly create your own regeneratable materials. All questions come with fully worked solutions. Simply download a module and begin cutting and pasting into your own document.

Modules are like chapters of a book so they take longer to write. We will be working feverishly to increase the amount of materials available.

Soon, we will be looking for authors to help us produce a comprehensive library of materials for you to use. More details to come soon!

FX Equation has long had a box command that can be used to place boxes around parts of an equation.

3×3+box(2×2)+3x-4

is rendered as

We have now added a number of similar commands

You can control the color of the lines by applying color to the commands.

All of these commands can be nested and combined in one equation giving you significant flexibility in the results you can achieve.

We have added three new commands to the inline calculator that support data parameters.

For example, if you have defined the following Char parameters

$p=char(A,H) and $q=char(F,M)

You can down perform the following calculations on the results.

{union($p,$q)} will return {A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M}
{intersection($p,$q)} will return {F,G,H}
{complement($p,$q)} will return {A,B,C,D,E}

The new Multi parameter allows you to create multiple choice questions that randomise the order of the answers. This means that your multiple choice question can have answers and distractors that vary due to the parameters used AND the correct answer can change with each regeneration.

The full documentation for the Multi parameter is to complex to be included in this post but is available here:

https://efofex.com/documentation/index.html?multi_parameters.htm

The easiest way to create a multichoice question is to use one of the questions available in FX Library.

Char parameters allow you to quickly define a list of characters that can then be accessed randomly when regenerating

Char parameters are defined using the char command.

$p=char(start character, end character)

Examples:

$p=char(A,Z)                                $p can be any uppercase letter.

$q=char(a,z)                                $q can be any lowercase letter.

Often, the hardest part of creating a MultiDocs question is setting up a parameter that produces suitable numbers. We have recently released two new options that can help you.

New Option For Range and RangeEx

The Range and RangeEx parameters now have a new option available – ExcludeMultiplesOf

$p=range(low, high, increment(optional), excludemultiplesof(optional))

An example command might be $p=range(200,400,2,10)

This produces a range of values between 200 and 400, incrementing by 2, excluding all multiples of 10

$p will take a value from this set. {202, 204, 206, 208, 212, 214, 216, 218, 222, 224,… 388, 392, 394, 396, 398}

This extension allows you to quickly remove values which might prove too easy for your particular question.

NoCommonFactor Parameter

NoCommonFactor parameters allow you to access numbers which do not share a common factor.

$p=nocommonfactor(number)

$p=nocommonfactor(number,low,high)

Notes:

• low and high are optional and do NOT need to be factors of the number.
• low and high can be higher (or lower) than number
• The nocommonfactor command will return 1.

Examples:

$p=nocommonfactor(12)                $p will be chosen from the set {1,5,7,11}.

$p=nocommonfactor(12,10,36)        $p will be chosen from the set {11,13,17,19,23,25,29,31,35}.

The most common reason for using a nocommonfactor parameter is to create numerators for fractions which cannot be simplified.

Data parameters can now be created with bivariate data.

$b=data((11,12)(15,19)(21,28)(13.2,19.4),(8,16))

Bivariate data is entered as separate data points, wrapped in parentheses, which are then (optionally) separated with your normal separator.

New RandBivariate Parameter

Often, the best way to create random bivariate is to use a randbivariate parameter.

$p=RandBivariate(lowx, highx, slope, intercept, targetr, number)

Generates number random bivariate data points with the x values ranging from lowx to highx. The data will approximately fit a linear regression line with the given slope and intercept with a correlation coefficient of approximately targetr.

If you want data with a negative correlation, you MUST enter a negative slope, NOT a negative targetr.

Statistical Commands

There are a number of new statistical commands that can operate on bivariate data parameters.

regslope($p) will return the slope of the line of best fit for the bivariate data.
regintercept($p) will return the intercept of the line of best fit for the bivariate data
regr($p) will return the correlation coefficient for the bivariate data

Other Commands

$b=data((11,12)(15,19)(21,28)(13.2,19.4),(8,16)) creates 5 data points, each with an x value and a y value.

$b[3] will return (21,28)
xvalue($b[3]) will return 21
yvalue($b[3]) will return 28