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advice for verbal reasoning

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:52 pm
by FreddySam
I think this type of question may be specific to Lincs and could really do with some advice as to how best approach it as it is eating up time when my daughter tries to complete a paper:

Use three of the numbers on the left once only to make up the number you are given.

7,9,11,13,16 : 31 = ( + + )

Thanks

Re: advice for verbal reasoning

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:49 pm
by Alex
Susan Daughtrey: "Verbal Reasoning and Practice 3" covers this type of question - technique type 25.

I don't know how often this type comes up in the actual exam - assume you have been told or know that it does sometimes.

Basic knowledge of number bonds and times tables help. I would practise these until really confident and speedy. So, in this example where adding is required, rapid addition of just the last digits 7+1+3=11 to get the last digit of the answer will be speedier than trying to add the whole numbers. In general terms its is easier to start with one number (highest for questions involving subtraction and division; lowest for multiplication and addition) then work out what you would have to add/subtract to it or divide/multiply it by in total to get the answer before then moving on to break down this total into its two numbers

so 2 3 5 10 21 : 9 = ( _ - _ - _ )

Start with 21 largest number first; what do I need to subtract to get to 9? Answer 12. How do I get to 12 with the other numbers? I need 10 and 2.

9 = (21 - 10 - 2 )

This is, of course, an easy one!

For the time being I would just practice as many as you can to speed up the arithmetic - it won't be wasted as it is helpful generally to be accurate and speedy with numbers; near to the tests if you feel they are still taking so much time that it will compromise the ability to finish the paper, then it may be time to teach strategy - if running out of time do the questions you know you can do fastest and best first then return to the "bete noir" questions in order to maximise score.

Of course - they may not come up this year........

Re: advice for verbal reasoning

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:27 pm
by FreddySam
Thank You!

Knowing my luck there will be a whole section on this type of question so we will do lots of practise! Seems strange that there is such a mathematical question on a verbal reasoning paper....

Re: advice for verbal reasoning

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:04 am
by Alex
Yes, Verbal Reasoning is a little bit of a misnomer. You can reckon on roughly 15% of the paper being number questions i.e. two blocks of questions.