What level is this question in the maths curriculum?

Post by **hermanmunster** » Tue May 19, 2009 11:41 pm

see what you mean - reckon the answer is probably best quoted as 4/3 - at least it is strictly more accurate than the 1.33333333...... etc

Can't believe I actually did A level maths - looks like a foreign language to me these days.....

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Wed May 20, 2009 6:47 am

There are level sheets we use with pupils -

http://www.emaths.co.uk/nclevels.htm

We've adapted them a bit but what we started with are here -

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed May 20, 2009 9:02 am

Thanks Guest55 - I'll have a look at those, feel I really ought to revise a bit....!

Trouble is if I don't use a subject then I forget how to and A levels was oooo 1977.... All my maths these days is some statistics (hate it) for reading about clinical trials, dose calculations (fine - always could get my head round decimals / volumes / strengths etc) and mortgage rates .. ahhhhh!

SunlampVexesEel · Post by **SunlampVexesEel** » Wed May 20, 2009 9:26 am

Bewildered wrote:1/x=3/4

Hm... That one is going to catch alot of people out as the unknown isn't normally on the bottom... I think DD might fail on that one and she's Yr7... so maybe a Yr 8 type question?

Again... Let me try it...

moved · Post by **moved** » Wed May 20, 2009 9:29 am

Tried it out on yr 6 daughter, who said: it's easy you just turn them both upside down.

essex-mum18 · Post by **essex-mum18** » Wed May 20, 2009 10:16 am

Bewildered wrote:and this one, pls...

1/x=3/4

What is the value of x?

Ah! A fractional equation, I use cross multiplying first i.e.

multiplying the denominator of the LHS by the numerator of the RHS and multiplying the denominator of the RHS by the numerator of the LHS

1/x=3/4

3x = 4 (1)

3x = 4

x = 4/3 (1 and 1/3)

essex-mum18 · Post by **essex-mum18** » Wed May 20, 2009 10:39 am

[quote="dadofkent"]Surely it is simpler than that. It cannot be 5 cubed because that will give 125, therefore it has to be 5 squared. The rest follows.

Yes, Guest55 is right, it is all written in algebraic form.

Guest55
Thank you for the answer for the level of he original question.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Wed May 20, 2009 5:56 pm

Moving - please don't encourage that method - it only works if there are two fractions equal ...

SunlampVexesEel · Post by **SunlampVexesEel** » Wed May 20, 2009 7:29 pm

Guest55 wrote:Moving - please don't encourage that method - it only works if there are two fractions equal ...

Not convinced by that statement.

if...

a/b = c/d

then...

b/a = d/c

always

so...

1/x = a/b

x/1 = b/a

always

My Yr5 didn't get the equation; and my Yr7 solved it. I think by iteration we have concluded this is a Yr6 question (i.r.o. this forum's sample DCs)

Regards
SVE

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Wed May 20, 2009 9:40 pm

Cross multiplication should NEVER be taught as children use it when it is not appropriate:

ie x/4 = x/3 + 1

Turning upside down also doesn't work - they are 'tricks'

Children should be encouraged to use strategies that always work -