<![CDATA[All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers]]>Original Title: Rant - Mistake


Just my rant :rant:

I am trying to teach my son to be careful with his schoolwork and always to check through for possible careless mistakes; but the school is not helping. 😞

The homework that the teacher dished out would contain mistakes. 😛 For example, in the homework for this weekend:

1. Jane has 62 ice cream sticks to make a box. She has only 8 ice cream sticks. How many more ice cream sticks must she get?

2. Mrs Lee buys 83 swiss rolls. Mrs Tan buys 25 fewer swiss rolls than Mrs Lee. How many swiss rolls does Mrs Tan buys? Mrs Tan buys ______ pineapple tarts.


Shouldn't school be setting the right examples and ensure proper sentences without mistakes are used? Is this too much to ask for? :stupid:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/5949/all-about-mistakes-in-teachers-questions-and-answersRSS for NodeMon, 04 May 2026 10:52:02 GMTSat, 10 Oct 2009 04:44:45 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:41:53 GMT]]>

tankee:
some more ...


English Comprehension

Last night, Mr and Mrs Chen went to see a show at Cathy Cinema. They returned home quite late. It was almost eleven o'clock.......

qn 1. Where did Mr and Mrs Chen go?
DS's answer. They went to the Cathy Cinema.
Teacher marked as wrong, as the standard answer is \"They went to see a show at Cathy Cinema\"


:? 😐
i believe the teacher did give some marks right?
schooling is like that la. so long the answer is not what the examiner is looking for, there are chances that you will be marked down. that is why my dh gave up on literature (he didnt even bother to attend the o-level literature exams), cos he felt that to do well in that subject, he has to know what the examiner is looking for - not how he felt - when asked to analyse certain literature (or maybe he was just plain lazy :roll: )

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/72750https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/72750Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:41:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:19:02 GMT]]>some more ...


English Comprehension

Last night, Mr and Mrs Chen went to see a show at Cathy Cinema. They returned home quite late. It was almost eleven o'clock.......

qn 1. Where did Mr and Mrs Chen go?
DS's answer. They went to the Cathy Cinema.
Teacher marked as wrong, as the standard answer is \"They went to see a show at Cathy Cinema\"


:? 😐

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/72745https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/72745Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:19:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:17:59 GMT]]>

clarabella:
tankee:

Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?

Hmmm... I have seen such poorly worded questions countless times. Usually from my friends with lower primary kids, so it seems that the 'more/less than' questions are commonly phrased in this manner??

I just showed DS1 this particular one, and our conversation went like this:-

I: \"Hey, check out this math question. How would you solve it?\"
DS: \"Mrs Q baked... 57+28, equals, errrrrrr, 85 pies?\"
I: \"But the question said she baked 28 more in the afternoon!\"
DS: \"I know, I know! But you said it's a math question, so the answer cannot be so obvious, right??!!\"

I prodded DH to wake up and asked him the question. His highness who was tired from an all-night surgery growled,\"Obviously 57+28, WHY on earth would a math teacher ask a question without expecting you to do some sums???\" before slumping back into bed. Arrrghhh!!

the lawyer would say 28.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/71076https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/71076Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:17:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:31:17 GMT]]>

qms:
tankee:

3. Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?


I asked my husband this question, and told him it was a Maths question.

He :x immediately, and commented that Mathematics should not be subject to such ambiguity. He felt very indignant that Mathematics nowadays are dependent on the whimsical of teachers (this year, the teacher says the answer is 57+28. Next year, he/she can \"recycle\" the question and says the answer is 28 ). To him, this was a English question. 😉

He's just so passionate about his work. :roll:


ur hubby is the man ! have a beer :celebrate:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/68456https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/68456Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:31:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:29:47 GMT]]>wow ! .. I did not realise this qns sparked off so much discussion till now :oops:


and to think that our kids actually are taught this way for years and have able to understand what the qns asked for ... :stupid:

Perhaps, MOE should send all primary school maths teachers for remedial english lessons. 😛

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/68453https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/68453Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:29:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:31:10 GMT]]>

tankee:
3. Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?

I asked my husband this question, and told him it was a Maths question.

He :x immediately, and commented that Mathematics should not be subject to such ambiguity. He felt very indignant that Mathematics nowadays are dependent on the whimsical of teachers (this year, the teacher says the answer is 57+28. Next year, he/she can \"recycle\" the question and says the answer is 28 ). To him, this was a English question. 😉

He's just so passionate about his work. :roll:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/64223https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/64223Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:31:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:08:09 GMT]]>[quote]\"3. Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?\" [/quote]
This is not an altogether question. It is asking for how many apple pies did Mrs Quek bake in the afternoon. This is P1/P2 more or less than concept. Answer will be 57+28. If the question asked what is the total amount altogether, then it will be 57+28+57.

Dont worry, once our kids go through P1 & P2 drilling by their math teacher, they will definitely understand what is needed to be done and will link this question to the more or less than concept.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63992https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63992Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:08:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:29:33 GMT]]>\"3. Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?\"


just looking at the question, i would interprete it as she baked another 28 apple pies in the afternoon so that will make the question that followed the statement a bit senseless because then the answer will be \"she baked 28 apple pies in the afternoon\". Since the answer is really 57+28 as pointed out, then the question should read as \"How many apple pies did she bake altogether?\"

or have i confused myself?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63981https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63981Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:29:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:00:40 GMT]]>Ooh, er, you're right. :lol:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63684https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63684Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:00:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:54:16 GMT]]>Er…tony, qn posed by tankee. not me la.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63681https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63681Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:54:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:51:37 GMT]]>Wah! I’m so stumped by the question that Mathsparks posed. Is this a simple math question or an English question? The ambiguity is ridiculous. :x

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63680https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63680Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:51:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:22:35 GMT]]>

jedamum:
his highness is a surgeon?!
Er, yes, it runs in the family :roll:

At last count, I think the physicians in his family probably cover the entire human body, from head to toe, and inside to outside. They only lack someone to specialise in geriatric medicine to complete the picture...

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63661https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63661Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:22:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:51:44 GMT]]>

mathsparks:
FMz:

[quote=\"mathsparks\"]Woa! pre-enlistment..I thought NS pre-enlistment! 😛 Is that what's called now?


my england not good mah.... assessment like no ink... so I add pre-enlistment to spice up the thingy

Yo Fmz,
I not teasing you, k? I don't have kid going to P1 so I thot perhaps they've started to use that word. Can tell which school got horrible hod?

:D[/quote]no problem, my england really not powderful, maybe tats why I can only survive in Japanese company 😄

no point demeaning the school here, anyway, I dun think they have the worst! hahaha

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63645https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63645Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:51:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:47:17 GMT]]>

clarabella:
His highness who was tired from an all-night surgery !

his highness is a surgeon?! :salute:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63642https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63642Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:47:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:46:31 GMT]]>my P1-going girl tell me 28 immediately, and I did not tell her the nature of this question.


so, with the stated question in my case, if the teacher is going to tell her any answer other than 28, I will ensure it will not go unnotice until some steps are put in place

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63641https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63641Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:46:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:23:19 GMT]]>

tankee:
Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?
Hmmm... I have seen such poorly worded questions countless times. Usually from my friends with lower primary kids, so it seems that the 'more/less than' questions are commonly phrased in this manner??

I just showed DS1 this particular one, and our conversation went like this:-

I: \"Hey, check out this math question. How would you solve it?\"
DS: \"Mrs Q baked... 57+28, equals, errrrrrr, 85 pies?\"
I: \"But the question said she baked 28 more in the afternoon!\"
DS: \"I know, I know! But you said it's a math question, so the answer cannot be so obvious, right??!!\"

I prodded DH to wake up and asked him the question. His highness who was tired from an all-night surgery growled,\"Obviously 57+28, WHY on earth would a math teacher ask a question without expecting you to do some sums???\" before slumping back into bed. Arrrghhh!!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63624https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63624Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:23:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:29:56 GMT]]>Since sashimi and I are sticklers for good grammar, we will highlight/circle the "in the afternoon" part and give the answer as 28. (DD’s maths teacher is also her English teacher.)

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63614https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63614Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:29:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:42:23 GMT]]>

tankee:
Another one. Or is it a trick question?


3. Mrs Quek baked 57 apples pies in the morning. She baked 28 more apple pies in the afternoon. How many apples pies did she bake in the afternoon?

:?
The word 'more' implies making some more of the same type as in the morning. But if it is other types of pies, then the second sentence would go like this ' she baked 28 chicken pies in the afternoon' without the necessity to emphasize the word \"more\". So, the qn is not accurately constructed grammatically or it is ambiguitous.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63601https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63601Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:42:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:28:12 GMT]]>

jedamum:
mathsparks:

haha jedamum. maybe you not familiar with the question style..but you'll soon see that doing maths well has a lot to reading the question carefully.


Plus a lot of maths teacher who set questions are themselves not very good in english so you get ambiguous ones like these.

:!: :!:
so actually if they said 28more in the afternoon, then it means in the afternoon they baked 28+57?? 🙏 🙏
what did i miss? :?:

No, you are right. If based on the face value of the question, it is very clear that 28 were baked in the afternoon. Otherwise, like you said that the qn. should state '28 more than in the morning' if the answer is to be 85. It is either the qn. is not clearly constructed or the teacher used some words wrongly.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63597https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63597Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:28:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:26:54 GMT]]>haha. son cleverer than mummy :lol: 有前途！

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63596https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63596Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:26:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:24:42 GMT]]>

mathsparks:

28more in the afternoon, means in the afternoon they baked 28+57.
:!: :!:
in that case, my P1 son is correct (i showed him this question) :oops:

PS: yes! i'm a firefox supporter! 😉

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63595https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63595Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:24:42 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:22:45 GMT]]>Yes jedamum, that’s right!


28more in the afternoon, means in the afternoon they baked 28+57.

I rem 10 years ago…yes that long ago…when my girl started P1. I was lost with these kinda more than/less than qns, but I’ve picked up along the way. So I’ve gotten used to these kinda nonsensical looking qn.

but no worrries, dont be so alarm, no need go :!: you’ll soon pick up along the way yrself. Your kid’s P1 soon?

PS: I just noticed yr avatar. You prefer firefox than explorer? AT first I thot was 2 kids kissing u; then I wonder why would you box the other…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63594https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63594Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:22:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:16:12 GMT]]>

mathsparks:
haha jedamum. maybe you not familiar with the question style..but you'll soon see that doing maths well has a lot to reading the question carefully.


Plus a lot of maths teacher who set questions are themselves not very good in english so you get ambiguous ones like these.
:!: :!:
so actually if they said 28more in the afternoon, then it means in the afternoon they baked 28+57?? 🙏 🙏
what did i miss? :?:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63592https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63592Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:16:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to All About Mistakes in Teachers' Questions and Answers on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:04:59 GMT]]>haha jedamum. maybe you not familiar with the question style…but you’ll soon see that doing maths well has a lot to reading the question carefully.


Plus a lot of maths teacher who set questions are themselves not very good in english so you get ambiguous ones like these.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63591https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/63591Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:04:59 GMT