As far as I can tell, the Math IXL system was designed to make people hate math.
Open-answer questions rarely specify the answer format, and will thus accept only one of 0.5, 0.50, .5, 1/2, 4/8 ... etc while rejecting all the rest. Then the next question will not keep the same format.
Points for correct answers add to your score, but not linearly; points for incorrect answers subtract from your score, but not linearly.
IXL is absolute garbage, as should be expected from any Pearson product. And the morons at Seattle Public Schools are dumping money into that dumpster fire like it's going out of style.
IXL engineer here. My comments express my opinions, not those of my employer, etc etc.
We don't try to be unfair; we're trying to make math fun. Please send a note to help@ixl.com if you run into questions that silently require a too-specific answer format, and we'll fix it.
No. It's absolutely pervasive, it was required as part of my son's school curriculum, and you've lost me permanently as any kind of customer. I have also been assured by the math department that they will not be continuing the use of IXL products when they finish their curriculum revamp.
Your product is terrible and anyone who likes math could have told you it was terrible from using it for 30 minutes.
Open-answer questions rarely specify the answer format, and will thus accept only one of 0.5, 0.50, .5, 1/2, 4/8 ... etc while rejecting all the rest. Then the next question will not keep the same format.
Points for correct answers add to your score, but not linearly; points for incorrect answers subtract from your score, but not linearly.
Endlessly frustrating.