Instruction Guide: Data Types and Display

Submitted by Randy Steele on 17 February, 2012 - 12:47

In this lesson students explore the concept of data types by using a data wire driven Display Block

Have students work through the "Data Types & Display" lesson on the "Advanced" page in "NXT Video Trainer 2.0".

Students should be able to answer all the review questions at the end of each step and end up with a solid command of the purpose and functionality of the different data types, as well as the function of each plug on the data hubs of the Display Block.

As students progress through, have them document their milestones in the Data Hubs Task Assignment Sheet.

School Zone Challenge

This page contains a copy of this challenge from "NXT Video Trainer 2.0."

Key learning to check for during sign-off includes:

  • Ensure students understand the nature of data types and the Display Block:
    • There are 4 different data types, each corresponding to a specific wire color
    • The input and output plugs connected to a data wires must be of the same type
      • Otherwise a broken wire will appear and the program will not compile
    • The data hub on a Display Block may be used to over-ride the parameters in the Block's configuration panel
      • Display type must match the data hub plug being used for the result to be displayed (Text in the case of this Lesson)
    • The Number-to-Text Block may be used to convert a numeric (number-type") value on a data wire to a "text-type" in order to be displayed with a Display Block