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Errors Specific to mathPad Questions
The following errors are common in mathPad, calcPad, or physPad questions, as well as older symbolic questions that require calculator notation.
| Problem | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Comma in number. | 5,000 | 5000 |
| Do not use ** to specify exponents. | 2**3 | 23 2^3 Note In mathPad, calcPad, or physPad, typing
2^3 displays 23.
|
| Incorrect variables. Variable names are case-sensitive (x is not the
same as X).
If the question specifies Greek letters or symbols such as ℓ, do not substitute English letters. |
3X 3a 3l |
3x 3α 3ℓ |
| Do not use uppercase E in scientific notation. | 1.2E15 | 1.2e15 |
Common Errors
Some of the most common errors are listed here.
| Problem | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Unrecognized symbol. | $4.00
4&6 |
4.00
4+6 |
| Brackets or braces instead of parentheses. | 4*{x+3} | 4*(x+3) |
| Unpaired parentheses. | (1+2)+3) | ((1+2)+3) |
| Missing part of the expression. | 50* | 50*3 |
| Too many consecutive operators. | x++++2 | x+2 |