GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

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fatbananas
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Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by fatbananas »

Thank you all SO MUCH for your replies!!

I had pointedly not looked at the answer sheet so that I (and DS!) could work out the answers with decent techniques and not 'guess' from the answers, but it looks as if that is the only real way to comprehend this question! :? Have to really hope this doesn't come up on the new Kent Test format!
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by mystery »

It is badly worded. Hopefully it's one that never used to come up in the real Kent paper either. 0/10 for GL assessment for that test item. :(
999 mum
Posts: 422
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:02 am

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by 999 mum »

mystery wrote:It is badly worded. Hopefully it's one that never used to come up in the real Kent paper either. 0/10 for GL assessment for that test item.
Considering that it is a multiple choice question, and the technique to do multiple choice questions is different to answering standard questions, I don't think there is anything wrong with this question.
daddylonglegs
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:44 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by daddylonglegs »

A very poor question.....all of the multiple choice answers could be correct if only one biscuit on each plate (the question doesn't say that there have to be more than one biscuit per plate)
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by mystery »

Yes. That is what I remember thinking when I did this question a while back. I always expect a few duff questions in a workbook but I was surprised by this one being in a gl familiarisation paper.
frangipani
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by frangipani »

I must be weird because I really like this question - it's like a puzzle/riddle :)

I think the sentence "each plate contains the same number of biscuits" (or whatever it said) implies that there is more than one biscuit on each plate.

I remember doing this question with DD and her saying that she didn't get it, but had guessed correctly anyway.

I wonder if it will stump DS when he does it!
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by mystery »

Well I just hope Frangipani that you are never employed to write test questions as if you favoured this type of badly written 11 plus question it would be those who were not terribly logical who would pass and the brighter kids would fail. If your children say there is something wrong with the question they are right.

It would be a very good verbal reasoning question if there was a final answer 6th answer choice: all of the above answers are possible.

Why does the phrase "same number of biscuits on each plate" imply more than one biscuit on each plate?

If I was doing this test as an adult in a relaxed situation I would realise that the test setter had made a howler and that as only one answer could be correct in a multiple choice test they must be expecting the answer to be 21. But this just isn't good enough for a public exam question particularly where there is time pressure and the children are young.

The question could be better worded and then, yes, it would be a good question as it tests mathematical reasoning rather than just some easy grind through a straightforward problem.
frangipani
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by frangipani »

I personally enjoy this type of question, is all I meant.
(Although I enjoy most 11+ questions.)

I don't advocate the use of it in an exam for 10 year olds! Or do I ? I'm not really sure...

However I do think that having it in the practice paper is a good thing, as we can show our children that this type of question could come up and teach them how to deal with it.
Yes the question could be better but a question like this could very well show in the exam.
There are many "trap/trick questions" in the kent test, some worse than others and having experience of these can help to prevent a panic on the day.

Just my view
Last edited by frangipani on Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
frangipani
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by frangipani »

I think it implies there is more than one simply because that's how I read it. Just one biscuit/plate wouldn't make sense.

I think this question tests logical thinking as well as maths.

There can only be one correct answer, so there must be more than one biscuit per plate or all the answers would be correct, therefore only 21 makes sense because all the others are prime.

I really don't see a problem with it. Some of the questions are intentionally challenging and confusing, that's just the way it is.

Now I'm off to hide before I get flamed again!
Proud_Dad
Posts: 500
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:55 am

Re: GL Multiple Choice paper 5, question 4

Post by Proud_Dad »

frangipani wrote:I think it implies there is more than one simply because that's how I read it. Just one plate wouldn't make sense.

I think this question tests logical thinking as well as maths.

There can only be one correct answer, so there must be more than one plate or all the answers would be correct, therefore only 21 makes sense because all the others are prime.

I really don't see a problem with it. Some of the questions are intentionally challenging and confusing, that's just the way it is.

Now I'm off to hide before I get flamed again!
I think you've misunderstood the point some of us are making.

We are NOT saying there could be only one plate. It is obvious from the question that there are multiple plates as you say.

What we are saying is that there could be multiple plates with only one biscuit on each plate. There is nothing in the question which states that this couldn't be true.

The phrase "same number of biscuits on each plate" is logically and gramatically correct if the "number of biscuits on each plate" is only one.

The only reason you might assume there would be more than one biscuit on each plate is that it would be a bit "weird" to only put one biscuit on each plate, but presumably the question is testing logic and maths rather than social conventions?
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