See Crocodile maths question 'was challenging' - BBC News.
This was on a Scottish Higher paper, roughly equivalent to an English A-level, presumably taken by pupils at about 18 years old. I think the necessary algebra and calculus would have been known by a 16-year-old in my day, so this question could have appeared in an O-level maths paper back then.
I suspect that what the pupils objected to was the lack of any 'hand-holding' to guide them through the solution - they would have had to work out for themselves that the last part of the question required a simple differentiation. Modern pupils (and students) seem unable to do this.
This was on a Scottish Higher paper, roughly equivalent to an English A-level, presumably taken by pupils at about 18 years old. I think the necessary algebra and calculus would have been known by a 16-year-old in my day, so this question could have appeared in an O-level maths paper back then.
I suspect that what the pupils objected to was the lack of any 'hand-holding' to guide them through the solution - they would have had to work out for themselves that the last part of the question required a simple differentiation. Modern pupils (and students) seem unable to do this.
The question is very poorly stated. The math isn't that tough but a few extra words to clarify what they meant would help.
It did rather boggle me that is was seen to be so hard. part b I could understand if a few struggled with the differentiation, but does seem to indicate that the students were spoon fed techniques to use and expected questions in that format!
All they needed to do was work out that the two verbal descriptions corresponded to x=0 and x=20. Not that difficult for someone who expects to be obtaining a university degree in four years time.
Two issues:
1. In the civilized world, distance is measured in feet.
2. In the civilized world, the French unit of distance is spelled "meter." They also misspelled "minimized."
Of course, these are people for whom bagpipes are music and haggis is food.
1. In the civilized world, distance is measured in feet.
2. In the civilized world, the French unit of distance is spelled "meter." They also misspelled "minimized."
Of course, these are people for whom bagpipes are music and haggis is food.
I'm sure an American translation can be made available for those pupils whose mother tongue is not standard English.
Perhaps a bigger problem is that children who have not studied biology to the required level might not understand that crocodiles can swim, that "prey" can refer to horsey looking creatures with funny stripes, while those who have studied physics may wonder why the time is measured in tenths of seconds instead of the SI standard seconds or ms.
Perhaps a bigger problem is that children who have not studied biology to the required level might not understand that crocodiles can swim, that "prey" can refer to horsey looking creatures with funny stripes, while those who have studied physics may wonder why the time is measured in tenths of seconds instead of the SI standard seconds or ms.
It's a pity that this tiny isolated island is unable to adopt the proper English spoken by approximately an order of magnitude more people. But first things first, they need to learn how to cook, do dentistry, and design reliable automobiles. Then we can work on teaching them proper English. Despite this prioritization, I did provide a translation table for at least one textbook on tubes. Oh yes, they need to learn what "tubes" are, as well.
Basic algebra and calculus in the modern era of education are a dream, a phantasm. I spent some time last night trying to help my son with his math homework, and ended up despairing for our future.
Basic algebra and calculus in the modern era of education are a dream, a phantasm. I spent some time last night trying to help my son with his math homework, and ended up despairing for our future.
I have one daughter who is better at sums than me and studying it at Uni, one who has not chosen it for A-levels and one who doesn't like it, but I make her plug on as she wants to be a midwife and I have pointed out that basic numeracy and biology are rather important.
Who knows what the boy child will be like.
Who knows what the boy child will be like.
Perhaps I can add to SY's list the need for us to learn what "math" is. Why do people over there say "math" but not "physic"?
Well if they would have studied enough biology the pupils would know that crocodiles do not stalk prey as such. They are ambush hunters who wait for the prey to come to them and can go without food for a year.
As for feet & inches etc the entire civilised world uses the metric system except three under-developed hold outs. Namely Myanmar, Liberia and the USA.
Burning question why did the Jets bring their own toilet paper, India/China yes but the UK?
And we fill our cars in litres and measure road distance in miles. Nothing odd there!
The pint is an odd one. Merka pints are the correct size and ours are wrong (20oz). Clearly just not big enough for the british thirst.
Because we're smart and logical. "Math" is short for "mathematics." "Physics" isn't short for anything.
M will be the next logical step.
(In In-gue-lund, one can enjoy a fish&chips together with today's newspaper headlines, or read them on scrolls tomorrow morning. Wonderfully efficient society)
(In In-gue-lund, one can enjoy a fish&chips together with today's newspaper headlines, or read them on scrolls tomorrow morning. Wonderfully efficient society)
See, there's Press Freedom for you.
(a few years of Corbyn, and it may be all chips&vinegar on recycled party paper)
(a few years of Corbyn, and it may be all chips&vinegar on recycled party paper)
Baaahahahahahaha!
Now THIS thread is hilarious!
You'd think NA actually have their own language (as opposed to a gross simplification of a language they took from their puritan forefathers - which aimed to eliminate all french and prior to that, the Latin..)
As for cars, ours were naff, but yank wagons are still at BL stage, after all these years pass...
Its incredible that some of the brightest minds possess some of the least correct 'opinions' (or are they just in denial?)
Oops there goes a 'Zed'...haven't found many word which use it....lets change that....
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