Multipart Question Type¶

Combine multiple sub-questions into a single question that students answer sequentially.

Basic Syntax¶

[multipart]

[[part1]]
First sub-question text here
[number]
answer = 5;

[[part2]]
Second sub-question text here
[multchar]
a) Option A
b) Option B
answer = a;

Structure¶

Each part is self-contained with: - A label: [[partN]] - Question text - A question type block - Complete answer definition

Options per Part¶

Each sub-question supports all options of its type:

[multipart]

[[part1]]
Solve: 2x + 3 = 11

[number]
answer = 4;
tolerance = 0.01;

[[part2]]
Which is larger: √10 or π?

[multchar]
a) √10
b) π
answer = a;
randomize = false;

[[part3]]
Approximate the cube root of 30.

[number]
answer = 3.107;
tolerance = 0.01;

Examples¶

Multi-Step Problem¶

The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 384,400 km. Light travels at 300,000 km/s.

[multipart]

[[part1]]
Calculate the time it takes for light to travel from Earth to the Moon.

[number]
answer = 1.28;
tolerance = 0.01;

[[part2]]
How many seconds is this?

[number]
answer = 1.28;
type = integer;

[[part3]]
In your calculation, you used the formula: time = distance / speed. What is this formula commonly called?

[essay]
rows = 3;

Physics Problem Series¶

A ball is thrown vertically upward with initial velocity 20 m/s.

[multipart]

[[part1]]
Calculate the maximum height reached (use g = 10 m/s²).

[number]
answer = 20;
tolerance = 0.1;

[[part2]]
How long does it take to reach maximum height?

[number]
answer = 2;
tolerance = 0.01;

[[part3]]
At what time does the ball return to its starting point?

[number]
answer = 4;
tolerance = 0.01;

Adaptive Branching (Advanced)¶

[multipart]

[[part1]]
Solve for x: 2x + 5 = 13

[number]
answer = 4;

[[part2]]
Now use your answer from Part 1 in the expression: 3x - 2

[number]
answer = 10;
tolerance = 0.01;

Grading¶

Multipart questions grade as: - All correct: Full credit (typically, unless partial credit rules are defined) - Some correct: Partial credit (proportional to number of correct parts) - None correct: Zero credit

Example: 3-part question, all worth equal credit - All 3 parts correct → 100% - 2 parts correct → 66.7% - 1 part correct → 33.3% - 0 parts correct → 0%

Tips¶

Progress logically: Later parts often depend on earlier answers
Keep it reasonable: 3–5 parts is ideal; beyond 5 becomes overwhelming
Mix question types: Use different types to test varied skills
Make dependencies clear: If Part 2 uses Part 1's answer, say so explicitly
Test thoroughly: Complex questions with conditions have more error potential

Common Uses¶

Multi-step word problems: Calculate intermediate values before final answer
Concept progression: Test understanding at different levels
Data interpretation: Present data once, ask multiple questions about it
Conditional scenarios: "If your answer to Part 1 was X, then..."