# Drawing and maths questions

> Let students show their working with a pen, finger or stylus, draw on top of your worksheet, send a photo of paper work, and type maths with a math keyboard.

URL: https://learnworkly.com/help/activities/drawing-and-maths-questions · Updated 2026-11-11

Seeing how a student got to an answer often matters more than the answer itself. LearnWorkly has several ways to collect working, and none of them needs a drawing tablet.

## Create a Drawing question

1. **Add the question** In the editor, click **Add question** and choose **Drawing**. Type the task, for example "Solve 3x + 5 = 20. Show your working."
2. **Add a picture to draw on (optional)** Under **Picture to draw on (optional)**, click **Add a picture** to upload a worksheet, graph, map or diagram. Students draw on top of it.
3. **Allow photos (optional)** Keep **Allow photos of handwritten work** on if students may also send a photo of their paper.
4. **Set the points** Type the points, or add a **Rubric** with criteria. You mark drawings yourself in the live view.

*[Screenshot: A drawing question on a phone with four pen colours, a thick pen, an eraser, undo and clear buttons, and a student’s handwritten working]*

## What students can do

- Draw with a finger, a mouse or a stylus. Once a stylus is used, touches of the hand no longer draw, so students can rest their palm on the screen.
- Choose one of four pen colours, a **Thick pen** or the **Eraser**, and use **Undo** or **Clear all**.
- Tap **Take a photo of your work** to send a photo of handwritten work. On a phone the camera opens directly; on a computer a QR code appears to scan with a phone. The code expires in 15 minutes.

## You see the drawing while it happens

> **You see the drawing while it happens:** In the live view, each student’s drawing appears on your screen as they draw it. You can then draw on their work to give feedback: see [Give feedback](https://learnworkly.com/help/feedback/give-feedback).

*[Screenshot: Feedback on a student’s drawing: the teacher has circled a mistake in red, with a comment box and a Send button]*

## Maths in questions and answers

To put a formula in any question, click **Formula** under the question text. In the **Insert formula** dialog, type / for a fraction and ^ for a power; the keyboard button has more symbols. The formula is shown properly typeset to students.

For answers, use one of these types:

| Type | Student answers with | How it is marked |
|---|---|---|
| **Math** | A formula, with a math keyboard that opens on phones and tablets | Automatically against your **Accepted answers**. Equal values count, so 1/2 and 0.5 both match |
| **Number** | A plain number, such as 12, 3.5 or 3,5 | Automatically, with an optional **Allowed margin (±)** and **Unit (optional)** |
| **Drawing** | Handwritten working | By you |

## Frequently asked questions

**Do students need a stylus?**
No. A finger on a phone or tablet works, and so does a mouse on a computer. A stylus simply gives neater handwriting.

**Can I check the working and the final answer separately?**
Yes. Use a **Drawing** question for the working and a **Number** or **Math** question for the final answer, which is then marked automatically.