Gateway Instructions:

Welcome Students. The following is essential information that you need to know before taking the Gateway Examination.

Table of Contents

1. Goal of the gateway
2. Taking a test
3. Answering questions properly
1. Important info for those taking the Math 104 gateway
2. Important info for those taking the Math 122 gateway
3. Appendix of useful symbols when using text mode
4. Accessing old exams
5. Getting help
6. Lab hours and procedures
7. Deadlines
8.  

1. Goal of the gateway

   1. The first goal of the gateway exam is to test you on the computational skill from the course. For Math 104, you will be tested on your algebra skills. For Math 121, and Math 115, you will be tested on differentiation. For Math 122, your integration skills will be tested. In order to pass the gateway, you will need to answer 8 out of 10 questions correctly.
   2. The second goal of the gateway exam is to introduce you to interaction with current web technology in the context of mathematics.




2. Taking a test

   1. Before you can log into Maple TA, you must obtain a user name and password. Visit the user name and password site. Once you are there, enter your KU online ID and password. Your Maple TA user name and password that you will use to log into the system will be generated. Once you have obtained your password and user name click here and you will be taken to the login page shown below. Use your new user name and password that you just created:
   
   
   
   2. After logging in, click on the appropriate class name.
   
   
   
   3. Next, choose the appropriate assignment name. The choices are:
      1. Practice Exam: Can be accessed from any computer with internet access. Do not wait until the very last minute! Get started early with the practice exams to acquaint yourself with the software.
      2. Preliminary Exam: Students will be required to pass this preliminary exam within a certain time frame before they are permitted to sit for the proctored exam. This exam can also be accessed from any computer with internet access.
      3. Proctored Exam: This exam can only be taken in Snow 159. There will be a required deadline.
      
      
      At the top of the page is the exam you are currently taking. Make sure this information is correct.
      
      
      In the upper right hand corner is your current status. This shows the remaining time, and the question number you are currently working on.
      
   4.  
   5. There are several buttons at the top of the screen. From left to right they are:
      1. Back/Next: Allows you to move forward or back one question at a time.
      
      
      
      2. Jump to: Pull down question menu allows you to jump to any question on the test.
      
      
      
      3. Grade: This button grades the test. Only push this button if you are ready for you test to be graded.
      
      
      
      4. Help: Do not use the Help button for any reason. The Quit and Save button is only used once you have finished grading your test and are ready to exit the system.
      
      
      
   
   
   
   6. There are two timeout warnings that you will encounter when taking the gateway. First you will be given a warning when there is only five minutes remaining on the exam.
      
      
      Then when you are completely out of time you will be asked to first press okay and then press grade. Any answers entered after your time has expired will be counted as incorrect by the system.
   
   
   
   7. When you have finished your exam click on the "Grade" button:
   
   
   If you leave a question blank then the software will give you one more chance to go back and answer those questions (assuming you still have time left over). If you want to go back, use either the back button, or click directly on one of linked questions. If you don't want to go back, select "Grade" one more time to grade your exam:
   
   
   This next screen will tell you if you passed or not. You need 8 problems correct out of 10 to pass the Gateway. Press the "View Details" button to see more:
   
   
   This gives you a break down of how each answer was scored. Lastly, click "Quit and Save" to log out when you are finished reviewing your answers:
   
   
   

3. Answering Questions Properly

This section is dedicated to the most important part of taking the gateway--answering the questions correctly. For Math 104, you will be solving algebraic equations. For Math 115 and Math 121, you will be finding derivatives of functions. For Math 122, you will be finding anti-derivatives. The way you enter answers in the answer fields is very similar to the way you key in mathematical expressions into your calculator. It is absolutely essential that you use the practice exam to review the syntax. To aid you, there is an appendix of useful symbols given here. The following will explain how to answer questions:

1. Type your answer into the answer field.
2. Next, if you look just below the answer field, you will see a blue link called "Preview". Pressing this button brings up an applet that displays your intended answer. This is an important step because many of these equations have nested parenthesis, and you want to be absolutely certain, that you did not forget to close a set of parenthesis. It is also helpful in catching errors where a division was intended, but multiplication occurred instead or vice versa.



3. To ensure that your answer is correctly interpreted, pressing the "Preview" button shows you how the software interprets your answer. Make sure that what you see here is what your intentions are. If what you see is incorrect, or an error like this:
   
   Then simply press close, fix the problem in the answer field, then preview again.
   
   If what you see is correct and what you intend like this:
   
   Then you can press close and move on.



4. Important information for Math 104. Many of the problems you will be asked to solve will have no solutions, one solution, or multiple solutions. In the case that there are no solutions you must type the word none in lower case letters as shown here. If there is only one solution, then you enter your answer in the normal way. If there are multiple solutions, then you separate your answers by a semi-colon. For example, if you find solutions 2, -1, and 7/2, then you enter your answer as 2;-1;7/2. The order in which you enter your solutions does not matter.



5. Important information for Math 122. For indefinite integrals you are required to enter a constant of integration. Mathematically, this can be expressed as any letter or symbol. However, the software is sensitive to this constant and requires that you specifically enter the conventional "C" (case sensitive i.e. must be a capital) for constants of integration. It would be mathematically correct to enter say an "M" for the constant of integration, but the software will grade it incorrect even if your integration is perfect. So just make sure you use "C" in all instances where you need a constant of integration.



6. Appendix of Useful Symbols When Using Text Mode



7. How do you succeed? To be successful at both mathematics and interacting with technology in a mathematical context (see Goal of the gateway), it is essential that you practice as much as you can. Use the practice exam to familiarize yourself with the software and the type of computations you are likely to see when taking the proctored exam. Pass the preliminary exam as soon as possible and this will maximize the amount time you have to take and pass the proctored exam. Good Luck!

 

4. Accessing old exams


You may access all preliminary and proctored exams that you have taken with the following steps:

1. From the main gateway webpage select "Go take the Math 1XX" gateway and login using your username and password.
2. Click on your class and select "gradebook" in the upper left corner.
3. Select "view past results".
4. You will be able to search for any of the proctored or preliminary exams from this screen. Select which type of exam you would like to access and click "Submit". All exams of that type will appear below.



5. Getting Help

1. Any questions that you may have regarding the Gateway should be directed to gateway-help@math.ku.edu.
2. If you have a question about a specific exam that you took, send an email to gateway-help@math.ku.edu with the following information:
   1. Your name and student ID number.
   2. Date you took the exam that your question is about.
   3. Class you are in (instructor's name, and Math 104, 115, 121 or 122).
   4. Your question detailing as much information as possible.
 

6. Lab Hours and procedures:

1. The Gateway lab is located in Snow 159. The operating hours for the lab, and deadlines are posted here.
2. Upon entering the lab, all students will be asked to check their backpacks at the door.
3. All students will also be asked to show a picture ID before they are permitted to take the exam.
4. Please come prepared. This includes having a picture ID, and having passed the preliminary exam.
 

Deadlines (Spring 2008)





Class	Deadline	Date
Math 122/142	Lab Opens	January 17
	Preliminary Exam Deadline	January 30 at 5:00 pm
	Proctored Exam Deadline	February 12 at 6:00 pm
Math 104	Lab Opens	April 1
	Preliminary Exam Deadline	April 9 at 5:00 pm
	Proctored Exam Deadline	April 23 at 5:00 pm
Math 121/141	Lab Opens	February 12
	Preliminary Exam Deadline	March 10 at 5:00 pm
	Proctored Exam Deadline	March 31 at 5:00 pm




Note: You may take these exams as many times as you want as long as it is within the specified dates above.


If you are ready to take the practice exam or preliminary exam click here.