how to assign numbers to a list of questions

function [p] = claim( q, choices )
 q=('An electronic tool that allows information to be input, processed, and output')
    choices={'Operating system', 'Motherboard', 'Computer', 'CPU'};
    arrayfun(@(x)fprintf(' %c. %s\n', x-1+'a', choices{x}), 1:numel(choices));
    q=('Which of the following is an input device?')
choices={'Monitor', 'Mouse', 'Projector', 'hdd'};

          arrayfun(@(x)fprintf(' %c. %s\n', x-1+'a', choices{x}), 1:numel(choices));

       while 1
          p= lower(input('Your choice>', 's'));

            if numel(p)==1 && p >= 'a' && p < 'a' + numel(choices)
                 p= p - 'a' + 1;
      break;
            end
      end

end

[Geoff Hayes]

Asamoah - where do you want to assign the numbers to? Please clarify what it is you are attempting. By the way, I don't understand why you define inputs to your function with parameter names of q and choices and then re-initialize these parameters as local variables within the function body as that will overwrite whatever was passed in!

[Asamoah Andrews]

Please I'm trying to generate a multiple choice questions like this

1.In literature,repetition is used essentially for
  A.a monologue
  B.allusion
  C.emphasis
  D.ryhme
2.The performers in a play constitute the 
  A.Chorus
  B.Characters
  C.Audience
  D.cast

[Asamoah Andrews]

>> thermodynamics
4. A reversible cycle has following processes.
 A. 4 isothermal processes
 B. 4 adiabatic processes
 C. 2 isothermal and 2 adiabatic processes
 D. none of the mentioned
13.  The value of constant of proportionality, J, has the value
 A. 1
 B. 0
 C. -1
 D. infinity
1. The enthalpy and internal energy are the function of temperature for
 A. all gases
 B. steam
 C. water
 D. ideal gas
14.  By first law of thermodynamics,
 A. Q=E+W
 B. Q=-E-W
 C. Q=E-W
 D. Q=-E+W
18. Which of the following is the first law for a closed system undergoing a cycle?
 A. dW=dQ
 B. JdW=dQ 
 C. dW=JdQ
 D. none of the mentioned
8. According to Carnot’s theorem, all heat engines operating between a given constant temperature source and sink, none has a higher efficiency than a reversible engine.
 A. True
 B. False
20. The first law of thermodynamics gives only the change on energy ?E for the process.
 A. True
 B. False
3. At constant pressure
 A. pdv=d(pv)
 B. dQ=du+d(pv)
 C. dQ=d(u+pv)
 D. all of the mentioned
9. The efficiency of all reversible heat engines operating between the same heat reservoirs is
 A. same
 B. independent of the nature of working substance
 C. independent of the amount of working substance
 D. all of the mentioned
10.  For a reversible heat pump, COP is given by
 A. T2/(T1-T2)
 B. T1/(T1-T2)
 C. T2/(T2-T1)
 D. T1/(T2-T1)
5. The reversed heat engine takes heat from a ___ temperature body, then discharges it to a ___ temperature body and ___ an inward flow of network.
 A. high, low, receives
 B. low, high, receives
 C. high, low, gives
 D. low, high, gives
6. Total enthalpy of a system H is given by
 A. H=h/m
 B. H=m/h
 C. H=mh
 D. none of the mentioned
15. Which of the following represents the energy in storage?
 A. heat
 B. work
 C. internal energy
 D. none of the mentioned
17. The expression (SW)cycle=(SQ)cycle applies only to systems undergoing cycles.
 A. true
 B. false
12. Energy has different forms which include
 A. Heat
 B. Work
 C. all of the mentioned
 D. none of the above
2. Change in enthalpy of a system is due to heat supplied at
 A. constant volume
 B. constant pressure
 C. both at constant volume and pressure
 D. none of the mentioned
7. Example of reversed heat engine is
 A. heat pump
 B. refrigerator
 C. both of the mentioned
 D. none of the mentioned
19. Which of the following is true for a closed system?
 A. mass entering = mass leaving
 B. mass does not enter or leave the system
 C. mass entering can be more or less than the mass leaving
 D. none of the mentioned
16. Work input is directly proportional to heat and the constant of proportionality is called
 A. joule’s equivalent
 B. mechanical equivalent of heat
 C. all of the mentioned
 D. none of the mentioned
11. Work input is directly proportional to heat and the constant of proportionality is called
 A. joule’s equivalent
 B. mechanical equivalent of heat
 C. all of the mentioned

>> please can there be a way that only the questions will shuffle but the numbers will remain from 1 to 20 in ascending order. So that in case as printing it out to students to answer they can't cheat. (The same questions numbers but different questions

[Walter Roberson]

idx = randperm(length(S), num_to_ask);
Sr = S(idx);
known_answers_r = known_answers(idx);
for k = 1 : num_to_ask
  P(k) = claim(k, Sr(k).q, Sr(k).c);
end
num_right = sum(P == known_answers_r);
score = num_right ./ num_to_ask .* 100;

[Stephen23]

Or perhaps add a separate counter variable:

n = 0;
for k = randperm(length(S), num_to_ask);
    n = n+1
    P(n) = claim(n, Sr(k).q, Sr(k).c);
end

PS: thank you Walter Roberson for your very generous comments, code, and clarifications.

[Walter Roberson]

You also need to track the known answers in the loop, or track the score in the loop

n = 0;
numright = 0;
for k = randperm(length(S), num_to_ask);
    n = n+1
    P = claim(n, Sr(k).q, Sr(k).c);
    numright = numright + P == known_answers(k);
end

[Asamoah Andrews]

You are awesome Roberson Walter

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

Here is one simple solution using a small function claim:

function p = claim(N, q, choices)
fprintf('%d. %s\n',N,q)
V = char('A'-1+(1:numel(choices)));
C = [cellstr(V(:)),choices(:)]';
fprintf(' %s. %s\n',C{:})
p = upper(input('Your choice: ','s'))-'A'+1;
end

and a script that loops over each question:

S(1).q = 'In literature,repetition is used essentially for';
S(1).c = {'a monologue','allusion','emphasis','ryhme'};
S(2).q = 'The performers in a play constitute the';
S(2).c = {'Chorus','Characters','Audience','Cast'};
S(3).q = 'An electronic tool that allows information to be input, processed, and output';
S(3).c = {'Operating system', 'Motherboard', 'Computer', 'CPU'};
N = numel(S);
P = nan(1,N);
for k = 1:N
  P(k) = claim(k, S(k).q, S(k).c);
end

When the script is run it looks like this:

1. In literature,repetition is used essentially for
 A. a monologue
 B. allusion
 C. emphasis
 D. ryhme
Your choice: c
2. The performers in a play constitute the
 A. Chorus
 B. Characters
 C. Audience
 D. Cast
Your choice: d
3. An electronic tool that allows information to be input, processed, and output
 A. Operating system
 B. Motherboard
 C. Computer
 D. CPU
Your choice: c

The script stores all of the choices in one vector P:

>> P
P =
   3   4   3

[Asamoah Andrews]

thank you Mr.Stephen Please how can i then use randi to generate different qustions for each individual in case of quiz.such that all will answer the same questions but different numbers.

[Asamoah Andrews]

please i run the script it displays [Error using (line 2) Not enough input arguments.]

[Walter Roberson]

You need to pass values to claim(), the way that Stephen shows.

Is the randomness about generating different questions, or is it about putting the potential answers in a different order?

[Asamoah Andrews]

the randomness is about generating the questions please

[Walter Roberson]

In Stephen's code, if you were to change

for k = 1:N

to

for k = randperm(N, 5)

then the code would display 5 out of the N questions, in a random order.

[Asamoah Andrews]

Mr.Roberson pls can we chat privately

[Walter Roberson]

Run the below ask_me_another . Notice that it asks only two of the three questions. For example,

>> ask_me_another
1. In literature,repetition is used essentially for
 A. a monologue
 B. allusion
 C. emphasis
 D. ryhme
Your choice: c
3. An electronic tool that allows information to be input, processed, and output
 A. Operating system
 B. Motherboard
 C. Computer
 D. CPU
Your choice: b

The only difference between Stephen's code and what I just attached is that I made the number of questions to ask into a named variable an I used the randperm that I showed above.

Stephen's code line

    P(k) = claim(k, S(k).q, S(k).c);

is an example of calling claim()

Answer 2

[Asamoah Andrews]

thank you very much Mr.Roberson i appreciate your effort a lot. Please one last favour I want to print out the scores at the end of the quiz

[Walter Roberson]

num_right = sum(P == known_answers);
score = num_right ./ num_to_ask .* 100;