Baa, baa, baa

[sraun]

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Comments

[jimtbari.livejournal.com]

When I took it, one of the questions had two possible answers:

If .4 < x < 1/2, x could equal:

* 40%
* None of the above
* 45%
* 50%

I suppose blogthings randomizes the possible answers.

[adina-atl.livejournal.com]

???

What are the two possible answers you see? X cannot be 40%, because .4 is not *less than* .4. X cannot be 50%, because .5 is not *greater than* .5. It's the difference between "greater than" and "greater than or equal."

[jimtbari.livejournal.com]

You appear to be using a much different definition of "above" than I am. ;-)
It's not 40%, so "none of the above" is correct. They should have said "none of these".

[frostfox.livejournal.com]

I got an F.

But then I got a grade 4 in CSE Maths in 1979 (they give you a grade 5 for writing your name on the paper).
I have number blindness to go with my dyslexia, I think.

But I have other redeeming skills, apart from maths and spelling.

FF

[adina-atl.livejournal.com]

Ah. A legalist. *grin*

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

I don't recall where "none of the above" was on mine ;<), but I have a comparably subtle complaint.

One of the questions was about -2 and two of the choices were "integer" and "whole number". There seems to be general agreement about the definition of integer and agreement about counting number and natural number (modulo inclusion of zero), but some people seem to use "whole number" as integer and some seem to use it as natural number.

I would say that is a bad question for an eighth grader. Use of terms for which there is general agreement seems much more appropriate.

(drat! those nits are tiny . . .)

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

They should have said "none of these".

None of the others??

(*&#*&@# nits) :<) . . .

[jimtbari.livejournal.com]

Heh. Excellent point!

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Just to disagree, I remember learning the "whole number" vs. integer thing back in the 4th grade. It is not a great question given the confusion around what is or is not a whole number, but it seemed pretty obvious to go with the one that was definitely correct instead of the one that might be correct. Really the whole thing seemed rather basic, more 6th grade than 8th grade, and I did not go to a great school.

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

heh. My education was well before "new math" and my memory is not that good (but surely I was given the appropriate definitions many times in college and later). I reasoned as you did, but more clumsily :<). I'll give myself 9.6 and the test 9.3 :<). You get the full 10 :<) . .