Equations for Ecademy Client: ISU Computation Center Faculty Advisor: Dr. Robert Anderson Technical Advisor: Dr. Pete Boysen Team Members:  Tim Arganbright, Kok-loon Chin, Brian Fegler, Eric Nicks Team Number: DEC0010 October 24, 2000

In this Presentation… -Evaluate our Project -Future Work -Budget -Lessons Learned -Summary -Initial Problem Statement -Design -Final Product -Assumptions/ Limitations -Project Risks/Concerns -Technical View

Ecademy Background Iowa State University professors currently use ClassNet to provide tests, quizzes, and homework to students over the internet. Iowa State University professors currently use ClassNet to provide tests, quizzes, and homework to students over the internet. Over the next few years, the number of students learning over the Internet is expected to increase dramatically, which will increase server load. Over the next few years, the number of students learning over the Internet is expected to increase dramatically, which will increase server load. Ecademy will replace ClassNet to reduce anticipated server load and development time. Ecademy will replace ClassNet to reduce anticipated server load and development time.

Technical Problem Ecademy is currently able to handle text- based questions including fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions. Ecademy is currently able to handle text- based questions including fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions. Our Goal: Ecademy must be able to handle equation-based questions for engineering and physics courses. Our Goal: Ecademy must be able to handle equation-based questions for engineering and physics courses. Also, Ecademy will be a template for all courses, not just for a specific course. Also, Ecademy will be a template for all courses, not just for a specific course. Bug reporting is necessary to get feedback from professors. Bug reporting is necessary to get feedback from professors.

Design Functionality – Equations Functionality – Equations Professor inputs equation, range of variables, and tolerance which are stored in database Professor inputs equation, range of variables, and tolerance which are stored in database Student views the question, inputs answer, and receives result Student views the question, inputs answer, and receives result

Design continued Student Side Applet Student requests equation Receive and answer question Compare correct answer to input Result sent to DB Ecademy Question Database Ecademy Grade Database Prof Side Applet Create Equation Parse + convert to polish notation Send params and equation to DB

Design continued Functionality – Buggy Functionality – Buggy Professors and developers can input and view bugs reported to the Ecademy system. Professors and developers can input and view bugs reported to the Ecademy system. Administrator can modify fields such as status, priority, and description. Administrator can modify fields such as status, priority, and description.

Design continued Design Constraints Design Constraints Must be developed using Java JDK 1.3 Must be developed using Java JDK 1.3 Must be written so that new code can be integrated into Ecademy Must be written so that new code can be integrated into Ecademy Intended Users Intended Users Professors and students at Iowa State University enrolled in classes using Ecademy Professors and students at Iowa State University enrolled in classes using Ecademy

Final Product Professor’s View

Final Product Student’s View

Final Product Buggy

Assumptions User must download files from Ecademy install page User must download files from Ecademy install page A policy file must be installed on the users computer to allow Ecademy to write and delete files from the user’s hard drive. A policy file must be installed on the users computer to allow Ecademy to write and delete files from the user’s hard drive.

Limitations Spaces will not be allowed in the equations Spaces will not be allowed in the equations Professors cannot define their own special functions Professors cannot define their own special functions For proper use of Ecademy, Java 1.3 plug-in must be installed on user’s browser to use Ecademy For proper use of Ecademy, Java 1.3 plug-in must be installed on user’s browser to use Ecademy

Project Risks and Concerns Precision and tolerance of answers as interpreted by Ecademy could cause some judging problems. Precision and tolerance of answers as interpreted by Ecademy could cause some judging problems. Modification of Ecademy could cause rewrite of our code. Modification of Ecademy could cause rewrite of our code.

Technical Approach - Professor Implement the expression parser. This function reads an equation from a professor, parses the equation, changes the equation to polish notation, and saves the result and other parameters to the database. Implement the expression parser. This function reads an equation from a professor, parses the equation, changes the equation to polish notation, and saves the result and other parameters to the database.

Technical Approach – Student Implement the expression evaluator. The expression evaluator takes the equation in polish notation, determines the answer to the equation based on professor provided parameters, and compares the correct answer to student’s input. Implement the expression evaluator. The expression evaluator takes the equation in polish notation, determines the answer to the equation based on professor provided parameters, and compares the correct answer to student’s input.

Technical Approach - Buggy Modeled after Java’s bug reporting system. Modeled after Java’s bug reporting system. Separate functions will be implemented to handle search, display, submittal, and modification of bugs. Separate functions will be implemented to handle search, display, submittal, and modification of bugs. Program will be split into functions for professor usage and functions for administrative usage. Program will be split into functions for professor usage and functions for administrative usage. Creation of a new database will be required to store, retrieve, modify, and delete bugs. Creation of a new database will be required to store, retrieve, modify, and delete bugs.

Evaluation of Project Success - Equations Parser shall accept a string containing an infix equation. Parser shall accept a string containing an infix equation. Evaluator shall solve expressions using the following operators: +, -, *, /, (), %, !=, ==, !=, >, =,, =, <=, and ^.  Judger shall compare the student’s submitted answer to the evaluator’s calculated answer, then display the correctness of the submitted answer. (Cancelled before implementation)

Evaluation of Project Success - Buggy Design of Java servlet pages for input/output Design of Java servlet pages for input/output Create database Create database Lookup, submit, and display bugs Lookup, submit, and display bugs  Create administrative pages  Combine all parts, test complete system, and document project

Recommendations for Further Work Addition of more usability options for students and instructors for Ecademy. Addition of more usability options for students and instructors for Ecademy. Addition of more math functions, such as integration, derivation, matrix math, binary/hex math, and imaginary numbers. Addition of more math functions, such as integration, derivation, matrix math, binary/hex math, and imaginary numbers. For bug reporting, upon updates interested parties can receive messages detailing status of bug. For bug reporting, upon updates interested parties can receive messages detailing status of bug.

Financial Budget

Human Budget

Lessons Learned Java code development procedures Java code development procedures Team communication Team communication Regular team meetings Regular team meetings Set milestones Set milestones Parallel development procedures Parallel development procedures Documentation for software projects Documentation for software projects

Conclusion Importance of milestones for project success and timely completion Importance of milestones for project success and timely completion Necessity of a modular software design that gives all team members a separate portion of the final product Necessity of a modular software design that gives all team members a separate portion of the final product

Questions?