Build-It Help
Table of Contents
Problem Type There are 12 problem
types: Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, Add / Subtract, Multiply / Divide, Mixed,
Add (Missing Number), Subtract (Missing Number), Multiply (Missing Number), Divide
(Missing Number), Greater / Less Than.
The first six types are self-explanatory. The fifth type, Mixed, allows a fact sheet
to be created which contains a mixture of types 1-4 and 12. The Missing Number types
include either a missing numerator or denominator as part of the problem. Finally,
a Greater / Less Than problem allows a student to determine the greater/less than
relationship between two numbers.
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Description When creating and printing
fact or answer sheets, you may wish to provide a description of the type of problem
set. A description that is entered will automatically appear at the top of the fact
or answer sheet.
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Font Size The font size that is used to create a
fact sheet can be changed to allow more or less problems per page. By selecting
a smaller size, more problems can normally be presented horizontally as well as
vertically.
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Division Answers When selecting the problem type
Division, you may select how to present the answers when creating an answer sheet.
Selecting "Normal" will automatically show each answer up to five decimal places.
Selecting "Whole" guarantees that each division problem will result in a whole number.
The third choice, "Two-decimal rounding" will generate all answers with a rounded
two-decimal answer. This option is only active when generating a Division (and Missing
Number) or Mixed problem type.
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Options
- Include Name/Date/Score fields -
By enabling this option, each fact sheet will automatically have a page header which
will include a space for name, date, and score. The header is not included on answer
sheets.
- Don't allow answers of -1, 0, or 1
- If you would like to guarantee that no answer has a value of minus one, zero,
or one, enable this option.
- Generate numbers with two decimals
- Although not frequently used, if you would like your problem facts to have up
to two decimal places, enable this option.
- Jumbo space for working solution
- By enabling this option, extra space will be included between each row for solving
problems. The extra space is not included on answer sheets.
- No negative results for subtraction
- By enabling this option, you are guaranteed that no subtraction problem will result
in a negative answer (helpful for children who have not learned negative numbers
yet). This option is only active when generating a Subtraction (and Missing Number)
or Mixed problem type.
- Number problems from 1 to ... - By
selecting this option, all fact sheet problems will be numbered from 1 to the highest
number.
- Display problems horizontally - This
option controls how the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems
are displayed. By selecting this option, problems will be presented horizontally
(e.g. 3+5=8) rather than the default vertical layout where one number is beneath
the other.
[top] Row Layout The row layout allows you to specify how many
rows and how many problems per row to create when generating a fact sheet. Both
the row count and the problems per row values must be in the range 1-25. Depending
on the font size selected, a standard 8x11 sheet of paper contains 6 rows of 5 problems
each.
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Range for Problems Creating a fact sheet problem requires
the generation of a random numerator and a random denominator. In order to do this,
a numeric "range" must be specified so that a number can be randomly selected from
within that range.
There are three diffent ways to specify a range.
- Single Range - Being the easiest
to use to generate fact sheet problems, this method uses a single numeric range
to select both the numerator and denominator. The low and high end of the range
is entered as the "minimum" and "maximum" values. For example, if fact sheet problems
are to have numerators and denominators which are single-digits, the minimum and
maximum values entered would be "0" and "9". Example:
- Dual Range - The dual range method
allows a different range to be specified for each the numerator and denominator.
For example, if you would like fact sheet problems that always include a 7 as one
number and a single-digit number as the other number, the ranges would be "7 to
7" and "0 to 9" respectfully. This method allows the most flexibility in the generation
of both the numerator and denominator. Example:
- Mixed Range - This method allows
a mixed specification of both the single range and the dual range. More difficult
to use (and not as popular), the mixed range method allows fact sheet problems to
have either the minimum or maximum number entered as a range (i.e. "1 to 10"), while
the other number is entered as a single value (i.e. "5"). When a mixed range is
entered, the single value will be converted to a range using either the low or high
value of the other range. For example, if you specify a range of "0 to 9" for the
first number and "3" for the second number, the resulting ranges will be "0 to 9"
and "0 to 3". For another example, if the first number is entered as "5" and the
second number is a range entered as "1 to 10", the resulting ranges will be "5 to
10" and "1 to 10". Example:
Numbers that are entered as a minimum, maximum, or a range value, must be in the
range -9999 to 9999.
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Answer Range This optional input field allows you to
limit the range of your answers. If entered, you must specify your range in the
"low to high" format. To limit your answers to a number from 1 to 10, enter "1 to
10". Although easy for students to determine answers, your answer range can also
specify a single result as in "9 to 9". Be careful to use answer ranges that make
sense for your problem ranges. For example, don't create postive addition facts
and then input a negative answer range. Failure to input valid answer ranges will
result in an error page.
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Lock Minimum/Maximum Ranges If
you input ranges as the minimum and maximum values, this option controls whether
those ranges will be used to select
either
a numerator or denominator.
If this option is not selected (the default), the numerator for a fact problem may
be the result of either input range;
the denominator will be selected from the opposite range.
If this option is selected, the numerator will be selected from the "Minimum or
range" input value; the denominator will be selected from the "Maximum or range"
input value.
Be aware that selecting this option can sometimes result in scenarios that cannot
be resolved. For example, if you enable this option and select "No negative results
for subtraction", a "Minimum or range" input value of 1 to 1, a "Maximum or range"
input value of 5 to 10, you will receive an error (you cannot subtract a value 5-10
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Generate! The Generate! button allows
you to build your fact sheet. Once you have entered the required fields and selected
any options, you may select one of three different Generate! choices (listed below).
After selecting your choice, click the Generate! button to process your request.
- Generate fact sheet - This choice
will create and display your fact sheet (without answers). Each sheet will be displayed
in a new browser window. Once displayed, you can review and/or print your fact sheet.
On many browsers, you can move your mouse over each individual problem to view the
answer.
- Generate answer sheet - This choice
will display your fact sheet (with answers). Each sheet will be displayed in a new
browser window. Once displayed, you can review and/or print your answer sheet.
- Automatically email me daily - This
choice will provide you the opportunity to automatically receive a "re-shuffled"
set of problems for your fact sheet on a daily basis. Once you click the Generate!
button, you are allowed to enter your email address and select which weekdays you
would like to receive email. Each email received will contain an Internet link to
generate a different set of problems, specific for that day. All fact sheet problems
are based on the settings you entered for your fact sheet.
[top] Re-Shuffle For each set of options you select on the build
page, you will get the same problems each time you click the Generate! button. If
you are not satisfied with the problems generated for you, then you can click the
Re-Shuffle button. Once you click Re-Shuffle, you can re-click the Generate! button
to generate a new set of problems. There is no limit to the number of times you
can re-shuffle your problems.
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