Answer Blank in the Exponent

Answer blank in the exponent

Complete Code

PG problem file

Explanation

DOCUMENT();

loadMacros('PGstandard.pl', 'PGML.pl', 'PGcourse.pl');

Preamble

These standard macros need to be loaded.

Context()->variables->are(a => 'Real', b => 'Real');

$n = random(3, 9);

# TeX
$expression = "a^{$n} b^{$n}";

# MathObjects
$base     = Formula("a*b");
$exponent = Formula("$n");

# Display exponents nicely
$exp = MODES(
    HTML => "<span>\(\displaystyle $expression= \Big(\)"
        . ans_rule(4)
        . '\(\Big)\)</span><span style="vertical-align: 12pt;">'
        . ans_rule(4)
        . '</span>',
    TeX => "\( \displaystyle $expression = ("
        . ans_rule(4) . ")^{"
        . ans_rule(4) . "}\)"
);

Setup

We want the only variables to be a and b and choose a random power.

The exponential layout is in HTML using a pair of adjacent span elements with the right one shifted up using the CSS style vertical-align. In hardcopy mode, we use the LaTeX exponent.

BEGIN_PGML
Rewrite the following using a single exponent.

[$exp]*
END_PGML

Statement

We insert exponential stored as $exp.

ANS($base->cmp());
ANS($exponent->cmp());

Answer

Because the answer blanks are traditional ans_rule, then we need to use this style of answer checking.

BEGIN_PGML_SOLUTION
Solution explanation goes here.
END_PGML_SOLUTION

ENDDOCUMENT();

Solution

A solution should be provided here.