WebAssign FAQs

Why can’t I log in? If you got an instruction sheet on how to self enroll, then your instructor should have given you a Class Key. Your Class Key looks like sdstate xxxx xxxx, where the x's are numbers. If you did not get an instruction sheet on how to self enroll, then you instructor should have given you a usernamde and password. You MUST get a username and password from YOUR INSTRUCTOR. If the username and password that was given to you doesn’t work, then go to your instructor and they can change them.

Why are some of the problems missing or parts of the problems missing? It sounds like this is a web browser issue. We have heard that there are issues with the Safari platform with Mozilla Firefox on Macintosh computers so you may want to use a PC instead of a Mac. In addition, make sure that you are using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox. To update Mozilla, open the browser, click on Help, and click on Check for Updates.

Why can’t I get the Math Palette to open? The Math palette uses flash and as such you need to make sure that you have an updated version for your browser. You can download a current version here http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/. You may also want to try a different browser. Most often these problems are caused by third party spyware and other downloaded programs from the internet. Make sure your computer has anti-virus and anti-spyware and keep your browser updated. If you continue to have problems, then send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

Why isn't there a Math Palette to use for my answer? Some students have had questions where there wasn't a Math Palette but they needed to enter a number under a square root. You can simply type sqrt(7) and your answer will be interpreted as the square root of 7.

Why don’t I see the “Practice It” or “Watch It” or… button at the bottom of the problem? Once again this is a technical issue. Try another browser first and then if that doesn’t fix it, send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

Why are problems and words overlapping, etc.? Once again this is a technical issue. Try another browser first and then if that doesn’t fix it, send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

Why did my problem get counted wrong (I’m sure I did it correctly)? Please do the problem again on paper and check your work a second time and even a third time. AFTER THE DUE DATE for that assignment, check your answer against the answer key. If your answer was graded incorrectly, send an email to your instructor. Your instructor will see that you get your point(s) back and alert WebAssign to the error in the grading of that problem.

Why doesn’t it like how my answer was entered? If you haven't noticed already, when you are in WebAssign you can click on "guide" and this will answer many of your questions. Or go to www.webassign.net/guide directly. Reading the whole thing will answer a lot of questions.

Make special note of section 5.9 in the guide: how to answer questions using fractions/decimals. Some of you are getting syntax errors—this means the computer doesn’t understand the form in which you’ve entered your answer.

Why did it count my decimal answer as wrong (I'm sure I did it right)? If your answer is a fraction, you should enter it as a fraction rather than a decimal. If your answer is a decimal, it is best to round to the nearest thousandth (3 places behind the decimal) unless the directions say something different. WebAssign has a 1% error tolerance--which means that your answer will be counted correct as long as you are within 1% of their answer.

When I entered ‘NS’ for no solution, it got counted wrong? If a problem has no solution, you need to enter NS without the single quotes.

When I hit the submit button on the Math Palette it didn’t grade my answer? Hitting Submit in the Math Palette and submitting your answer are two different things. After you hit submit in the Math Palette you still need to hit the Submit New Answer button below the question.

After I submitted my answer and got it wrong, why won’t the Math Palette open again? To enter a new answer using the Math Palette, simply click on your old answer and it should open. If the answer box is gray and won’t open which clicking on it, then this is a technical issue. Send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

When I went back into an assignment my answers weren’t there? If you have not submitted your answers, they will not be saved. You need to hit the Save Work button in order to save your work. There is a Save Work button on each question or you can go to the bottom of the screen and hit Save All Work.

Why don’t I have a grade for an assignment (I saved all my work)? Saving your work is not the same as Submitting your work. When you are ready to submit an answer for a problem, hit the Submit New Answers to Question N under Question N or at the bottom of the screen there is a Submit All New Answers button. Remember that you have three submissions on each part of each problem before you lose any points on that part of the problem.

Why won’t my Access Code work? Once again this is a technical issue. Try another browser first and then if that doesn’t fix it, send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, access code, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

Why can’t I get Math Palette to work (I have tried everything)? It seems that we have been having trouble with Math Palette interacting with Internet Explorer version 7.0. We suggest that you switch and use Mozilla Firefox and it should work fine. If you continue to have problems, then you should send an email to support@webassign.net and be sure to include your username, institution, password, course, section number, instructor, phone number (in case they need to call you back), and detailed description of the problem.

Why does my homework grade in WebAssign seem wrong? Homework scores will only appear in the gradebook after the due date has passed. Even after the due date, the gradebook does not automatically get updated. Your instructor will update the gradebook periodically but if it has been a week and your grade seems wrong, you should contact your instructor.

If I am retaking Math 102, can I still use my old access code? Yes, you can reuse your access code from last semester as long as your instructor has given you the same username and your previous instructor has dropped you from their roster. If you still have the access code, try putting it in. If you don’t have the code, you may need to contact support@webassign.net to get help in the transfer of the code.