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BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:27 am
by kittymum
Hi

Trying to search my memory from 2 years ago! My gut feeling is that children don't need to use / understand BIDMAS for Bucks 11+. Obv usual disclaimers that its subject to change etc etc but does this sound right?

Can't believe in a month we'll hopefully be all over and done with the 11+ forever in our household!

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:27 am
by Eccentric
I don't think they will put Algebra in the CEM 11 plus because they say that they only use material that the children have learnt on the normal primary school curriculum (I may be mistaken, I am not an expert.) The 12 plus is a different matter according to DD there were lots of mental maths equations and other questions that involved BIDMAS and simple algebra.
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Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:44 am
by trudie
The only elements that can be included in the maths section of the 11+ are those that have formally been part of the curriculum up to the end of Year 5.
However, the curriculum did change last September and I am not up-to-date as to whether algebra made an earlier appearance...

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:11 pm
by kittymum
Hi

Thanks for replies.

Not worried about algebra- fairly certain won't be in (although dd has done some at school) - it was just BIDMAS I wasn't sure about- fairly certain it's not a primary topic it just niggles me as it obviously affects the answer to a question. Fairly sure ds didn't know BIDMAS 2 years ago.

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:29 pm
by gowest
At DD's school they learnt BIDMAS at year 4 and have used it since then all the time. (she will be in year 6 this September).

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:41 pm
by Guest55
They learn indices in calculation?

It's not in the NC.

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:46 pm
by gowest
I asked my DD repeatedly and she said "yes".

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:59 pm
by Guest55
Does she understand the question?

Could you post an example of what she thinks it is?

I suspect it includes brackets but not indices ..

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:20 pm
by ConfusedAylesburyMum
My son has just finished Year 6 and I am pretty confident that he also has done BIDMAS. Although not sure which year and should say that Maths is his subject!

Could be linked to brackets though as mentioned by Guest55.

Re: BIDMAS

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:56 pm
by Eccentric
I think they only do BIDMAS in year 6 if they are going to do level 6 maths SAT paper. To my knowledge it is not in the normal curriculum.