Numeric Answer Question

The numeric answer question resource creates questions that expect numerical responses. These questions support exact values, ranges, and precision validation for mathematical calculations and quantitative assessments.

Use Cases

As a lab author, you use numeric answer questions to assess quantitative knowledge:

• Configuration Values: Assess knowledge of specific numeric settings, ports, timeouts, or limits in system configurations
• Resource Calculations: Test understanding of resource requirements, capacity planning, or performance calculations
• Technical Specifications: Evaluate recall of specific numeric values from documentation, standards, or best practices

Numeric answer questions provide precise assessment of quantitative technical knowledge and calculation abilities.

HCL Syntax

Basic Syntax

resource "numeric_answer_question" "name" {
  question = "How many CPU cores does a t3.medium EC2 instance have?"
  answer   = 2
}

Full Syntax

resource "numeric_answer_question" "name" {
  question = "What is the default HTTP port for web servers?"
  answer   = 80

  hints = [
    "This is a well-known port number",
    "Most web browsers use this port by default"
  ]

  tags = ["networking", "http", "ports"]
}

Fields

Core Configuration

numeric_answer_question

Field	Required	Type	Description
question	✓	string	The question text presented to users
answer	✓	number	The correct numerical answer
hints		list(string)	Hints shown to users when hints are enabled. Defaults to empty list.
tags		list(string)	Tags for categorizing and organizing questions. Defaults to empty list.

Answer Validation

Numeric questions require users to enter the exact value specified in the answer field.

Examples

Exact Value Question

resource "numeric_answer_question" "kubernetes_port" {
  question = "What is the default port for the Kubernetes API server?"
  answer   = 6443


  tags = ["kubernetes", "networking", "api"]
}

Memory Calculation Question

resource "numeric_answer_question" "memory_calculation" {
  question = "How many gigabytes of RAM does a server with 8192 MB have? (Round to nearest whole number)"
  answer   = 8

  hints = [
    "Convert megabytes to gigabytes",
    "1024 MB = 1 GB"
  ]

  tags = ["memory", "calculations", "conversions"]
}

Resource Calculation Question

resource "numeric_answer_question" "pod_replicas" {
  question = "If you have 3 worker nodes and want to distribute 9 pod replicas evenly, how many pods per node?"
  answer   = 3


  tags = ["kubernetes", "scaling", "calculations"]
}

Default Values

The following defaults are applied automatically:

resource "numeric_answer_question" "name" {
  hints = []
  tags  = []
}

Validation Rules

• Number format: Answers must be valid integers or decimal numbers
• Exact match: Participant input must exactly match the specified answer value
• Input validation: Participant inputs are validated as numbers before comparison

Usage in Quizzes

Numeric answer questions are referenced in quiz resources:

resource "quiz" "technical_calculations" {
  questions = [
    resource.numeric_answer_question.kubernetes_port,
    resource.numeric_answer_question.memory_calculation,
    resource.numeric_answer_question.pod_replicas
  ]

  show_hints = true
  attempts   = 2
}

Best Practices

1. Clear Units: Specify units in the question (MB, GB, seconds, etc.)
2. Precise Values: Ensure the expected answer is clearly defined
3. Context Clarity: Provide enough context for users to understand what to calculate
4. Realistic Numbers: Use practical values that users might encounter
5. Helpful Hints: Guide the calculation process without giving away the answer
6. Educational Value: Use explanations to reinforce the underlying concepts
7. Input Validation: Consider what formats users might use (decimals, integers)
8. Avoid Trick Questions: Focus on knowledge and understanding, not mathematical gotchas