ExamView: Number Lines in ExamView

NOTICE:  EXAMVIEW END-OF-LIFE ANNOUNCEMENT

As of June 30, 2024, ExamView will officially reach its end of life.

Please be advised that after ExamView’s end-of-life date of June 30th, 2024, we will no longer be providing updates, security patches, or technical support for any version of ExamView. Our obligations to maintain or support ExamView will cease as of this date. Continued use of ExamView post end-of-life may expose you to increased security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, and potentially reduced functionality. To avoid these risks and ensure uninterrupted service, we encourage migrating to EchoExam, which is designed to offer superior security, compatibility, and a range of advanced features that align with current technological standards. For questions click here.

Inserting a Number Line

Number lines can be inserted into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

1. Position the cursor at the location where you want to insert the number line.
2. Click Insert from the menu bar, mouse over Graph and select Number Line.

   A number line with default properties is inserted, and the Format Graph – Number Line window opens.

   The Functions tab lets you add, edit, and delete items from the number line. These items include points, segments, rays, lines, box-and-whisker plots, and vectors.

   The Axis tab lets you change attributes of the number line such as the scale (units per tick), ticks per inch, and line styles.

   The View tab lets you change the size of the number line, and whether it is centered on a certain value or anchored at the left to a certain value.

3. Click the Functions tab, select the type of item you want to add from the drop-down menu and click New.
4. To edit existing items, select the description of the item and click Edit (or double-click the description).
5. To delete an item, select the description of the item and click Delete.
6. To change the order of the items on the graph, click the item you want to reorder and drag it to the correct position.
7. Click the Axes tab, enter a label to display at the right of the number line or leave the label blank. Click Font to set the font characteristics of the label. The font characteristics used for the axis label are also used for the tick labels.
   NOTE

   Variables cannot be used as values for the number line label, units per tick, ticks per inch, ticks per label, width, height, or baseline. Variables can be used to define most of the attributes for the items added to the number line.

8. Set the scale (units per tick) for the number line. Units per tick must be greater than zero.
9. Set the ticks per inch. Value must be between 1 and 50.
10. Set the ticks per label. Value must be between 1 and 99.
11. Set the axis width. You can hide the axis altogether, or display the axis with a thin or a thick line.
12. Set the axis color. To change the color of the number line label or the tick mark labels, click Font.
13. By default, the number line displays tick marks and tick-mark labels. To show or hide these click the Show tick marks and Label tick marks check boxes.
14. Click Zoom In and Zoom Out to change the units per tick. Zooming in or out automatically applies changes to the number line.
15. Click the View tab, enter a width, height, and baseline (in inches) for the number line. You can also manually set these values from the editing window by clicking and dragging the resize handles.
16. Select set center or set left. Enter a coordinate value in the appropriate section.
17. Click the Web tab, enter alternate text to be displayed when the student points to the graph while taking an internet or LAN-based test.
18. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the Format Graph – Number Line window.
    NOTE

    If you inadvertently apply changes that you do not want to the number line, close the Format Graph – Number Line window, click Edit from the menu bar and select Undo. This will cancel all changes made while the window was displayed, including inserting new items.

    Point

19. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

    To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

20. Click the Functions tab, select Point from the drop-down menu and click New.
21. Enter the coordinate of the point.
    NOTE

    Variables can be used as values for the point coordinate and the label.

    To display "+" and / or "-"; in the label, you must enclose the label in quotes. For example: "+5".

22. Select a point style. The point styles can be none, solid, or hollow.
23. Select a label style. You can have no label, use the coordinate of the point as the label, or optionally enter a text label. Click Font to set the font characteristics of the label.
24. Select a label position. You can select where the label appears in relation to the point.
25. To display the point only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display point (only if ).
26. To change the color of the point, click the Color drop-down menu . To change the color of the label, click Font.
27. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the New Point window.

Segment

A segment can be used to show that a variable is greater than one value and less than another. For example, the segment on the number line below demonstrates a value greater than three and less than or equal to nine.

1. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

   To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

2. Click the Functions tab, select Segment from the drop-down menu and click New.
3. Enter the endpoint coordinates for the line segment.
   NOTE

   Variables can be used as values for the endpoint and label.

   To display "+" and / or "–" in the label, you must enclose the label in quotes. For example: "+5".

4. Select the point styles. The point styles can be none, solid, hollow, parentheses, or bracket. The hollow point, the parentheses, and the bracket are alternate ways to show that the value is not equal to the endpoint.
5. Select the label styles. You can have no labels, use the coordinates of the endpoints as labels, or optionally enter text labels. Click the Font button to set the font characteristics for the labels.
6. Select the label positions. You can select where the labels will appear in relation to the endpoints.
7. To display the segment only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display segment (only if ).
8. To change the drawing style for the segment, click the Pattern drop-down menu.
9. To change the color of the segment, click the Color drop-down menu . To change the color of the labels, click Font.
10. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the New Segment window.

Ray

A ray can be used to show that a variable is less than, less than or equal to, greater than, or greater than or equal to a certain value. For example, the ray to the left on the number line below demonstrates a value less than three. The ray to the right demonstrates a value greater than or equal to eight.

1. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

   To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

2. Click the Functions tab, select Ray from the drop-down menu and click New.
3. Select a direction for the ray (left or right) and enter an endpoint coordinate.
   NOTE

   Variables can be used as values for the endpoint and label.

   To display "+" and / or "–" in the label, you must enclose the label in quotes. For example: "+5".

4. Select a point style. The point style can be none, solid, hollow, parentheses, or bracket. The hollow point, the parentheses, and the bracket are alternate ways to show that the value is not equal to the endpoint.
5. Select a label style. You can have no label, use the coordinate of the endpoint as the label, or optionally enter a text label. Click Font to set the font characteristics for the label.
6. Select a label position. You can select where the label will appear in relation to the endpoint.
7. To display the ray only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display ray (only if ).
8. To change the color of the ray, click the Color drop-down menu . To change the color of the label, click Font.
9. Click Apply to see how the ray will look on the number line. Click OK to record your changes and close the New Ray window.

Line

1. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, or narrative.

   To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

2. Click the Functions tab, select Line from the drop-down menu and click New.
3. Optionally, to display the line only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display line (only if ).
4. To change the drawing style for the line, click the Pattern drop-down menu.
5. Click the Color drop-down menu to change the color of the line.
6. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the New Line window.

Box and Whisker Plot

A box-and-whisker plot (or a box plot) is a histogram-like method of displaying data. The plot shows boxes to represent the interquartile ranges, and whiskers (single lines) to the maximum and minimum values.

1. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

   To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

   NOTE

   When a number line is initially created, the program sets a default width and height for the graph. Multiple box-and-whisker plots will display off the top of the number line and be clipped from view. Resize the number line, either with the Format Graph – Number Line dialog, or by clicking on the resize handles and sizing the number line manually.

2. Click the Functions tab, select Box-and-Whisker Plot from the drop-down menu and click New.
3. Enter values for the lower extreme, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and upper extreme.
   NOTE

   Variables can be used as values for the lower extreme, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and upper extreme. If you have a data set defined as a variable, use the quartile and median keywords to extract the extremes and interquartile ranges.

4. To display the box-and-whisker plot only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display box-and-whisker plot (only if ).
5. To change the color of the plot, click the Color drop-down menu .
6. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the New Box-and-Whisker Plot window.
   NOTE

   You can add multiple box-and-whisker plots to a single number line. Each successive plot will be placed above the preceding one.
   
    

   Vectors

   Vectors can be used to show a multi-step calculation using a number line. For example, you might need to demonstrate how many apples you would have if you start with three, someone gives you five more, and then you give two away.

7. Insert a number line into a question, answer, matching group, rationale, feedback or narrative.

   To edit an existing number line, double-click the graph or click Format from the menu bar and select Format Graph.

   NOTE

   When a number line is initially created, the program sets a default width and height for the graph. Vector labels, or multiple vectors, will display off the top of the number line and be clipped from view. Resize the number line, either with the Format Graph – Number Line dialog, or by clicking on the resize handles and sizing the number line manually.

8. Click the Functions tab, select Vector from the drop-down menu and click New.
9. Enter the beginning and ending offsets for the vector. The offsets are points on the number line. Optionally enter a label that will appear over the center of the vector. Click Font to set the font characteristics for the label.
   NOTE

   Variables can be used as values for beginning offset, ending offset, and label.

   To display "+" and / or "-"; in the label, you must enclose the label in quotes. For example: "+5".

10. To display the vector only if a certain condition is met, enter the condition in the field following Display vector (only if ).
11. To change the color of the vector, click the Color drop-down menu . To change the color of the label, click Font.
12. Click Apply to view your changes in the editing window or click OK to record your changes and close the New Vector window.
    NOTE

    You can add multiple vectors to a single number line. Each successive vector will be placed above the preceding one.