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island911 island911 is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
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Re: Help me solve this 3rd grade math problem

Quote:
Originally posted by the
I don't know if there's an error in it, but I don't get it.

It is "Equation Building."

Student is given numbers and signs. The student is to combine the numbers and signs to get a solution that is an answer choice.

Example: 1 2 3 - x

Choices: 1; 2; 3; 4; 6

What is the answer, and why? Remember, this is a third grade level.

It seems to me there's a mistake in it, the "minus" sign should be an "equals" sign??
It seems to me there's a mistake in the wording. " Example:" . . or are you saying that this is an example of the numbers and signs to be used to combine to the solutions labled "choices" ?

if so, i'm w/ the others...

3-2x1 ...gives the solution (aka equals) 1
3x1-2 = 1
3-1 = 2
2-1x3 = 3
3-1x2 = 4
3x2-1 = 5 (extra credit)
3x2 = 6

Poorly worded questions really help the teacher get a good spread in the grading. . . beyond "smart" there is the "do I give a crap" quotion -- where a certain percentage of student see the question as WTF- - next...
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Old 01-10-2007, 01:07 AM
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