P2 Math - General Discussion

[mowmow]

Jolyn:

Dear all


I have a math question as follows:

Jenny and Jonathan collected stamps.
Jenny had 355 stamps.
She exchanged 56 stamps with Jonathan.
Jonathan exhanged 44 stamps with her.
a) How many stamps did Jenny have after giving some stamps to Jonathan?
b) How many stamps did Jenny have finally?

Appreciate if anyone could advise on the above.

Hi,

I think the question did not sound logical. Did Jenny exchange or give stamps with/to Jonathan? The story said \"exchanged\" while the question said \"gave\". So conflicting. If it was exchange, then Chiefkiasu's solution is correct.

[joconde]

mowmow:

Jolyn:

Dear all


I have a math question as follows:

Jenny and Jonathan collected stamps.
Jenny had 355 stamps.
She exchanged 56 stamps with Jonathan.
Jonathan exhanged 44 stamps with her.
a) How many stamps did Jenny have after giving some stamps to Jonathan?
b) How many stamps did Jenny have finally?

Appreciate if anyone could advise on the above.

Hi,

I think the question did not sound logical. Did Jenny exchange or give stamps with/to Jonathan? The story said \"exchanged\" while the question said \"gave\". So conflicting. If it was exchange, then Chiefkiasu's solution is correct.

It seems to me that the person who came out with this question lacks basic written communication skills and is incapable of presenting a problem clearly -- without causing confusion. I also find such problem with my child's school, both Math and Science. Maybe it's time MOE brush up subject teacher's communication skills !

[mowmow]

joconde:

It seems to me that the person who came out with this question lacks basic written communication skills and is incapable of presenting a problem clearly -- without causing confusion. I also find such problem with my child's school, both Math and Science. Maybe it's time MOE brush up subject teacher's communication skills !

Agree. Sometimes, I really wonder about the standards of the teachers in primary schools. My son always comes home with maths questions that are marked wrongly. His answer is correct, but teacher marks him wrong, while his friends whose wrong answers are marked as correct. Always have to make notes for the teacher. On top of that, I am also finding grammar and spelling errors in their STELLAR english worksheets. Really quite worrying, think have to write in to the principal already.

[corneyAmber]

mowmow:

Hi,


I think the question did not sound logical. Did Jenny exchange or give stamps with/to Jonathan? The story said \"exchanged\" while the question said \"gave\". So conflicting. If it was exchange, then Chiefkiasu's solution is correct.

I find the question ok. Exchange has 2 stages, I give, I take or I take, I give. So in this case, give is the stage 1 of an exchange. At the start, exchange is used to suggest that both Jenny and Jonathan make an exchange with each other. Then Question 1 is asking the stage 1 of this exchange, which is how many stamps she has given away and Question 2 is asking after the complete exchange, what has she ended with. However, I do agree that in some Math questions, some questions can be ambiguous due to poor use of English and the other case of marking wrong answers, that is typically a case of refering to standard answer sheet which provides the wrong answers. It happened to us before as the answer was worked out by the curriculum team and the teacher just went ahead to mark based on standard answer sheet. For this, the problem can be reduced if something is done at source.

[mowmow]

ks2me:

I find the question ok. Exchange has 2 stages, I give, I take or I take, I give. So in this case, give is the stage 1 of an exchange. At the start, exchange is used to suggest that both Jenny and Jonathan make an exchange with each other. Then Question 1 is asking the stage 1 of this exchange, which is how many stamps she has given away and Question 2 is asking after the complete exchange, what has she ended with.

So ks2me, going by your interpretation, does it mean that ans to (a) is 355-56 = 299 while ans to (b) 355 ?

[caroline3sg]

answer:

a) 355 - 56 = 299
b) 299 + 44 = 343

[corneyAmber]

mowmow:

So ks2me, going by your interpretation, does it mean that ans to (a) is 355-56 = 299 while ans to (b) 355 ?

No, going by my interpretation, answer is the same as Chief and caroline3sg.

Also, just to share, if I am confident my answer is right, I will not hesitate to flag it out to the teacher. So far, teachers are grateful mistakes are pointed out because it has bearing on more than one class when the answer is wrong. My child just did that recently and the teacher was delighted that my child got it right on her own and the teacher was using answer sheet. So if you find our answers different from standard, please check with the teachers again. Even if it is assessment book questions, their answers could be wrong too and if you are concerned enough, you should flag out to the publisher and then the author of the book. Otherwise year on year they will reprint the wrong answers.

[drickymummy]

Jolyn:

Dear all


I have a math question as follows:

Jenny and Jonathan collected stamps.
Jenny had 355 stamps.
She exchanged 56 stamps with Jonathan.
Jonathan exhanged 44 stamps with her.
a) How many stamps did Jenny have after giving some stamps to Jonathan?
b) How many stamps did Jenny have finally?

Appreciate if anyone could advise on the above.

Hi Jolyn,

Just curious abt what is the correct answer that your child's teacher had given the kids??

Btw, if \"exchange\" means 1 for 1, that shd means that there is no changes at all right??

I hate maths..Urgh!!! I will also check with my boy tonight on this question.

Thanks!!

Drickymummy

[Andaiz]

Jolyn:

Dear all


I have a math question as follows:

Jenny and Jonathan collected stamps.
Jenny had 355 stamps.
She exchanged 56 stamps with Jonathan.
Jonathan exhanged 44 stamps with her.
a) How many stamps did Jenny have after giving some stamps to Jonathan?
b) How many stamps did Jenny have finally?

Appreciate if anyone could advise on the above.

I agree...exchange means to barter (i.e., equal value) but stamps are stamps right? And we'd have thought they'd exchange EQUAL value, not necessary in numbers. Not sure if the P1/P2 kids can understand this :roll:

Haha. But if the questions were:

Jenny and Jonathan collected stamps.
Jenny had 355 stamps.
She gave 56 stamps to Jonathan and, in exchange Jonathan gave 44 stamps toher.
a) How many stamps did Jenny have after giving some stamps to Jonathan?
b) How many stamps did Jenny have finally?


Then the working is two-stepped and guided:
(a) 355- 56 = 299
(b) 299 + 44 = 343 QED??

I'll go ask DD1.

[rascal.05121work]

Hi

can anyone help me how to improve my girl’s literacy skills in understanding Pri 1 maths questions especially Section C. She scored 0 for Section C in recent test but if I read to her she can answered all questions correctly!