How to Allow Students to Generate New Versions of Problems

Webwork provides a macro to give students the power to change their random seed. This allows them to, for example, generate new versions of problems to try for their own practice.

• To give students this capability on a particular problem:
  • Load the macro “problemRandomize.pl”.
  • Include the line

    ProblemRandomize();

    near the beginning of the problem before defining any random parameters.

• This capability can be modified in a few different ways:
  • Students may be given this power only after the assignment is due, or at any time.
  • Students may be given this power only after they get the original problem right, or at any time.
  • Students may be given the power to choose their random seed manually, or may only get to ask for a new random seed.
  • http://webwork.maa.org/pod/pg_TRUNK/macros/problemRandomize.pl.html contains extensive documentation on these options and how to change them.

• If this code is included, students see a button on each problem which they can click to receive a new version of the problem. Depending on the particular options chosen (see above), they may not see this button until after the homework is due and/or they get the problem correct.