I can't believe not one of a thousand parents could get this right??????

BlindBoyGrunt said:
If Sunak gets his way and we all study maths until the age of 18 will we then have the power to remember it years down the line, or will we have just delayed our forgetting by two years? And if so, would we not have been better advised to spend two years studying something that interested us instead?
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If you have no aptitude for maths, there is probably no need to continue it beyond 13 years old. The stuff we learnt for o level was pretty taxing, differential equations solved in parts was the worst.

We have all seen the meme with the fish, chimp and elephant doing the same exam.
 
BlindBoyGrunt said:
If Sunak gets his way and we all study maths until the age of 18 will we then have the power to remember it years down the line, or will we have just delayed our forgetting by two years? And if so, would we not have been better advised to spend two years studying something that interested us instead?
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Oui!
 
sambaDTR said:
It boils down to an easy quadratic equation. You just need to know the rules for multiplying things in brackets e.g. (y+1)(y-1) becomes y x y, y x -1, 1 x y and finally +1 x -1. This gives y^2 - y + y -1 i.e y^2-1.
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I don't think that's what stumped people. I expect many won't grasp the concept of either adding the area of 2 rectangles or subtracting the area of the missing corner from the total area. Would probably get half marks for doing that.
 
lostinyorkshire said:
At some point you realise as an adult what was the point of this type of education. Unless your going to be a carpet fitter or builder.
Why didnt we learn about mortgages, pensions, financial markets etcetc.
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Mine was sitting in a Field Theory exam being asked to calculate the voltage induced in a Volvo aerial when it travelled under a HV power line. After I few minutes thought I came to the conclusion "Who cares".
 
RedAsABeetroot said:
I expect many won't grasp the concept of either adding the area of 2 rectangles or subtracting the area of the missing corner from the total area.
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That is why this country is fecked. Hardly anyone can think analytically or logically, so they end up punching themselves in the face and blaming it on immigrants.

Maybe if the question was framed to be a cake and the question was 'what is the area of the remaining cake if I cut and eat a rectangular slice?'
 
RedAsABeetroot said:
I don't think that's what stumped people. I expect many won't grasp the concept of either adding the area of 2 rectangles or subtracting the area of the missing corner from the total area. Would probably get half marks for doing that.
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Im pretty sure everyone on this thread who's said they couldn't answer can certainly grasp that concept. But that wasn't the question was it?

Or maybe we're all just thick because that seems to be what you're implying.
 
festa5 said:
Im pretty sure everyone on this thread who's said they couldn't answer can certainly grasp that concept. But that wasn't the question was it?

Or maybe we're all just thick because that seems to be what you're implying.
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No I'm not implying anyone is thick. I just feel that the more modern education system doesn't lead to people developing analytical and problem solving skills as much. With maths I think the use of calculators and never using mental arithmetic doesn't help.
I went into a shop and bought items totalling £14.38. I had a £20 and the change so I gave the cashier £24.38. She put the £4.38 in the till and tried to give me £20 back. When I explained she needed to keep the £20 and give me £10 she was totally confused. I use contactless now unless there's a sign up saying they prefer cash.
 
RedAsABeetroot said:
No I'm not implying anyone is thick. I just feel that the more modern education system doesn't lead to people developing analytical and problem solving skills as much. With maths I think the use of calculators and never using mental arithmetic doesn't help.
I went into a shop and bought items totalling £14.38. I had a £20 and the change so I gave the cashier £24.38. She put the £4.38 in the till and tried to give me £20 back. When I explained she needed to keep the £20 and give me £10 she was totally confused. I use contactless now unless there's a sign up saying they prefer cash.
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I have analytical and problem solving skills. I just wasn't taught algebra. I don't believe my life has been any the poorer for it. The thing the thread highlights for me is the lack of - empathy isn't the right word but it's the closest I get.
 
RedAsABeetroot said:
No I'm not implying anyone is thick. I just feel that the more modern education system doesn't lead to people developing analytical and problem solving skills as much. With maths I think the use of calculators and never using mental arithmetic doesn't help.
I went into a shop and bought items totalling £14.38. I had a £20 and the change so I gave the cashier £24.38. She put the £4.38 in the till and tried to give me £20 back. When I explained she needed to keep the £20 and give me £10 she was totally confused. I use contactless now unless there's a sign up saying they prefer cash.
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That's a completely different thing to this question though.

This question is asking for an answer using algebra. The answer isn't a number, the answer needs to be expressed using algebra. If you don't know algebra you're going to struggle, regardless of how good your problem solving skills are.

Not being able to solve this doesn't prove you have poor problem solving skills. It means you can't do algebra. Now if you know algebra and can't solve it, you might have a point. But that's not what's happening is it?

You do understand there's a difference there?
 
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