Any good at maths?

[srw]

I don't ever recall mixed numbers, and what exactly are they for?!

A sensible way of writing a fraction ("two and a third" - 2 1/3) rather than using an improper fraction (7/3) which is very difficult to relate easily to a whole number.

Actually, thinking about it, you didn't need to do the sums for that question, since all three answers were the same in improper terms - all you had to do was work out which was the correct mixed-improper equation.

 

[Glow worm]

1/7 here. Just the mention of the word maths still sends shivers down my spine 20 or so years on from failing my last ever maths exam .
Not helped by having an ar$ehole, half witted alcoholic tool as a maths 'teacher' at O level, but no excuses- maths is sh*t.

 

[User482]

A sensible way of writing a fraction ("two and a third" - 2 1/3) rather than using an improper fraction (7/3) which is very difficult to relate easily to a whole number.

Actually, thinking about it, you didn't need to do the sums for that question, since all three answers were the same in improper terms - all you had to do was work out which was the correct mixed-improper equation.

I understand what it's doing, I just don't ever recall a reference to "mixed numbers", nor do I find it any more useful than an improper fraction. Neither does Mrs R, who has an Oxford degree in maths. At least I'm in good company...

 

[02GF74]

5/7 but misread 2 questions - pretty simple TBH

 

[TVC]

7/7. I haven't exercised my brain in tat way for a good few years. Don't tell any 16 year olds, but solving equations is not something they are likely to have to do again.

 

[on the road]

7/7. I haven't exercised my brain in tat way for a good few years. Don't tell any 16 year olds, but solving equations is not something they are likely to have to do again.

Unless they want to be a mad scientist.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Surprised that no one else got this one, 3.1415926

I got 22/7 is that close enough?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

7/7 for me.

Well okay 6/7 but only because I accidentally clicked the wrong answer to question 6 even though I knew the correct answer

You're not alone, I also got 6 instead of 7, for the exact same reason

 

[Noodley]

3/7 for me.

 

[ColinJ]

Don't tell any 16 year olds, but solving equations is not something they are likely to have to do again.

Unless they want to be a mad scientist.

Or an engineer ...

I started my engineering degree, aged 27. Many of the younger students had recent good A-level grades in maths, but they still couldn't solve equations, and didn't have a clue about complex numbers or calculus either! (I was rather peeved because lectures were replaced by remedial maths classes to get them up to an acceptable standard.)

 

[the_mikey]

6. A lot of these questions are about semantics in the language used in the questions, rather than the maths itself.

 

[the_mikey]

Or an engineer ...

I started my engineering degree, aged 27. Many of the younger students had recent good A-level grades in maths, but they still couldn't solve equations, and didn't have a clue about complex numbers or calculus either! (I was rather peeved because lectures were replaced by remedial maths classes to get them up to an acceptable standard.)

That happened to me, when I went to uni the lecturers were appalled at the level of maths ability from A level students, and a whole year was spent playing catch up with mathematics, wednesday mornings from 9 to 12 was all mathematics, made the afternoons lecture about marine radar theory and practice (not practise) a welcome break.

 

[ColinJ]

That happened to me, when I went to uni the lecturers were appalled at the level of maths ability from A level students, and a whole year was spent playing catch up with mathematics, wednesday mornings from 9 to 12 was all mathematics, made the afternoons lecture about marine radar theory and practice (not practise) a welcome break.

What made it worse was that we had loads of Norwegian students whose English was perfect, but we had to do remedial English for the benefit of many of the English students!

 

[the_mikey]

[QUOTE 2615557, member: 9609"]The only one I got wrong, I actually got right - it was just a stupidly laid out question (the fraction one) I worked it out quickly in my head to 2 & 4/15 and then clicked on the first answer that said the same. When it come back as wrong I went over it a dozen times before realising the question on the left had nothing to do with the answer. just plain misleading....[/quote]


Like I said earlier it has more to do with understanding the semantics of the written words and numbers than the mathematics, the fraction one was the one I got wrong, but as soon as it said I was wrong I realised what the question was asking and how I misread the original equation.

 

[srw]

I understand what it's doing, I just don't ever recall a reference to "mixed numbers", nor do I find it any more useful than an improper fraction. Neither does Mrs R, who has an Oxford degree in maths. At least I'm in good company...

Quick now - is 70/3 smaller or larger than 91/4?

Admittedly that's the sort of thing that's useful in the real world, and not the sort of thing that the Oxford maths degree (admirable though it is in so many ways) teaches you.