Tips for WeBWorK Authors: Randomization

Producing random quantities in a WeBWorK problem.

The Basic Method

Pick a random integer between 2 and 5 (inclusive), and put it in the variable $a1:

An integer between 2 and 5

$a1 = random(2,5);

Pick a random number between 2 and 5 using steps of 0.1, and put it in the variable $a2:

A number between 2 and 5, step size of 0.1

$a2 = random(2, 5, 0.1);

Pick a random integer between -2 and 5, but exclude zero (which might cause errors in the problem):

A non-zero integer between -2 and 5

$a3 = non_zero_random(-2,5);

Fancier Randomization

Suppose we have already picked one number, $a, and now we want to pick $b so that it is between 1 to 10 but not equal to $a. The basic form is:

do { $b = random(1, 10); } until ($b != $a);

This will keep picking random numbers until we have one we like. The condition in the until clause can contain more than one comparison.

Pick $c different from both $a and $b

do { $b = random(1, 10); } until (($c != $a) and ($c != $b));

Picking from a list

Sometimes, you might want to pick from a list of numbers.

$a = list_random(3, 4, 6, 9, 15, 18);

Connected variables

It may happen that, in a problem, several variables are connected. Using a single random parameter, the values of several variables can be selected. Here is an example where three variables, element, atomic weight - mantissa, and atomic weight - exponent are linked.

Using lists to select connected variables

@element = ('Carbon','Silicon','Phosphorous','Sulfur','Gallium','Germanium','Arsenic','Gold');
@ma = ('2.00','4.68','5.18','5.34','1.17','1.22','1.25','3.29');
@mb = ('-26','-26','-26','-26','-25','-25','-25','-25',);
$n = random(0,7,1)

Now $n can be used as an index for the arrays and we can write problem statements such as:

BEGIN_PGML
Assume that for your experiment,
you inject *singly charged negative [$element[$n]] ions,
that become positively charged [$nplus] times in the center of the accelerator*.
The mass of a [$element[$n]] ion is [`m = [$ma[$n]] \times 10^{[$mb[$n]]}`] kg.
END_PGML

Credits

This page on randomization is based on a presentation by Rémi Poirier of Champlain College Saint-Lambert. The starting point for Rémi’s presentation was a note written by John Jones, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Arizona State University.

Randomizing parameters in a WeBWorK Problem

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Last update: 2022-11-18