# 11 year old do this, can you.



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

We often have threads decrying education today. Recently we had the debate on tables. Should they be learned by rote or not? Here is an example of what 11 year olds are expected to do today. Can you do them all?

http://www.theguardian.com/infinity-film/2016/apr/01/are-you-as-smart-as-an-11-year-old

Dick


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

I was astonished that two of the questions were given to 11 year olds and only got 11 out of 12 right. :frown2:

A schoolboy error let me down on the Roman numerals ..... because I was rushing. :crying:





.


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

12/12 - easy - Scottish Education in the 50's and 60's though

Cheers

Dave


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Dick never mentioned that it was set in 1902 :laugh:


today, never only Harrow / Eton etc


tony


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

GEMMY said:


> Dick never mentioned that it was set in 1902 :laugh:
> 
> today, never only Harrow / Eton etc
> 
> tony


These are key stage 2 (sat at the age of 11) tests in all state schools in England and Wales Tony.

Dick


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

You are joking Dick. Something to fail on ?


tony


Ok for me.............but todays kids ????????????


tony


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I only got 10/12, I am shocked that I got two wrong.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I could have done them - when I was 11 years old!


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Was hopeless at maths so surprised I got them all right. Might not have done if it hadn't been multiple choice.


Chris


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

Well, I must be missing something, as none of the supplied answers to question 4 are correct.
¾ + ⅞? This equals 1⅝, which is not one of the supplied answers?
So how did you lot get the correct answer, or what am I doing wrong?
Or, is that supposed to read 13/8, i.e. thirteen eighths? If so, very confusing (& wrong), IMHO. Any vulgar fraction more than a whole number should be expressed as the whole number plus the remaining fraction.
Other than that, all correct, so some brain cells must still be working.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

emmbeedee said:


> Well, I must be missing something, as none of the supplied answers to question 4 are correct.
> ¾ + ⅞? This equals 1⅝, which is not one of the supplied answers?
> So how did you lot get the correct answer, or what am I doing wrong?
> Or, is that supposed to read 13/8, i.e. thirteen eighths? If so, very confusing (& wrong), IMHO. Any vulgar fraction more than a whole number should be expressed as the whole number plus the remaining fraction.
> Other than that, all correct, so some brain cells must still be working.


Weather reports normally describe cloud cover in 'oktas' i.e. 1-8 of total cover, but some reports on the internet give reports of '10 oktas'

When a foreign Control Tower reported '10 oktas' the aircraft Captain queried this and the response was 'Yes Sir, yesterday was 8 oktas - but today it is very much worse'

P.S. Did get 12/12 and would probably have done same at 11 years as I did quite well in 11 Plus as it was then.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Short answer? No.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Didn't do it, I hate maths with a vengeance.


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## chilly (Apr 20, 2007)

emmbeedee said:


> Well, I must be missing something, as none of the supplied answers to question 4 are correct.
> ¾ + ⅞? This equals 1⅝, which is not one of the supplied answers?
> So how did you lot get the correct answer, or what am I doing wrong?
> Or, is that supposed to read 13/8, i.e. thirteen eighths? If so, very confusing (& wrong), IMHO. Any vulgar fraction more than a whole number should be expressed as the whole number plus the remaining fraction.


That's exactly what I thought.


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

emmbeedee said:


> Well, I must be missing something, as none of the supplied answers to question 4 are correct.
> ¾ + ⅞? This equals 1⅝, which is not one of the supplied answers?
> So how did you lot get the correct answer, or what am I doing wrong?
> Or, is that supposed to read 13/8, i.e. thirteen eighths? If so, very confusing (& wrong), IMHO. Any vulgar fraction more than a whole number should be expressed as the whole number plus the remaining fraction.
> Other than that, all correct, so some brain cells must still be working.


13/8 is just an improper fraction.

.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yeah should fit in well on here.>>>:grin2::grin2::wink2::wink2:


cabby


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

ChrisandJohn said:


> Was hopeless at maths so surprised I got them all right. *Might not have done if it hadn't been multiple choice.* Chris


A very pertinent comment Chris.

In some ways multiple choice questions are invalid, in that you can often eliminate the wrong answers quicker and easier than calculating the correct one. For example, when doing addition or subtraction sums. A quick check of the final digit in the given answers will show at once those that are wrong.

The real world is not like that - for example if you want to buy some carpet and need to calculate the area of the room. You've just got to do it without the help of the correct answer in there somewhere!! :surprise:

A lot depends on how the kids are taught. A bit of lateral thinking goes a long way - or is it logical thinking?? One thing is certain - it qualifies as "thinking"!:wink2:

Dave

P.S. Yes, I did get them all right, but like Chris - the multiple choices helped a lot.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Dave 

The question about the x and y co-ordinates for points A and B could not have been answered by any way other than multiple choice, since the question specifically stated that the diagram was not to scale.

Geoff


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I have a book here that is full of questions from the old 11 plus exams. 

I confess to struggling with some of them myself!!! 

Yes I did fail the 11 plus (just, had I been living half a mile east I would have been in another LEA whose pass mark was slightly lower, hey ho!) 

Andu


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## bb46 (Oct 26, 2008)

I surprised myself since its 58 years since I did my 11+. I too got 12/12.
Geoff - it is possible to answer the co-ordinates question without seeing the possible answers cos I managed it. All the numerical info is there - it doesnt need to be to scale 

Barbara


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

bb46 said:


> I surprised myself since its 58 years since I did my 11+. I too got 12/12.
> Geoff - it is possible to answer the co-ordinates question without seeing the possible answers cos I managed it. All the numerical info is there - it doesnt need to be to scale
> 
> Barbara


I disagree.

To get to the value for A on the x axis one would have to scale off, which would also assume that the graticule is linear, which we were not told and there are no graticule marks and values to indicate whether it is linear or not.

Geoff


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Barbara is correct Geoff - *if the triangles are identical* as it says. Can't understand why it says, "_Image not to scale_". That's just confusing and misleading.

The two unlabelled points with co-ordinates are 3,8 and 9,0, so extrapolating you come to 12,0.

Maybe it means the scales are not to scale - if you see what I mean????

Certainly not at all clear, but I'm sure that's the way they wanted it done. Is it 11 year olds or the examiners who need the test?? :surprise:

Dave :smile2:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I never completed the test. I just did what I did at school, looked at it, glazed over and stared out of the window thinking about girls.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Zebedee said:


> Barbara is correct Geoff - *if the triangles are identical* as it says. Can't understand why it says, "_Image not to scale_". That's just confusing and misleading.
> 
> The two unlabelled points with co-ordinates are 3,8 and 9,0, so extrapolating you come to 12,0.
> 
> ...


Contradictions indeed:surprise:

I am glad that examiner did not teach me Navigation:surprise:

Geoff


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

I struggled with the Mensa maths though- just 7/10 (must try harder)

Cheers

Dave


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Yep...did 'em :smile2:

Got 12/12 without the use of a calculator too :grin2:

A grade O Level maths still works. Mind you I really disliked Maths too. Now I teach basic Business Maths and the teenagers I teach (16-19) and absolutely, unequivocally hopeless.

Their eyes roll and they cannot even work out 10% without getting their phones out to use as calculators.

This week I have been helping an moderately intelligent young lady with compiling a cash flow forecast from basic costings and also putting together an annual budget. She has covered this topic at least 3 times over the last 2 years including one unit of study which lasted 11 weeks. I might as well have been speaking Swahili tbh...

And she is the most advanced in the current piece of work (writing a business plan). I have c.15 more to go through yet, which, as the days go by will get progressively worst as the least motivated deign to grace me with their work :surprise:

These are all students who have a minimum of a grade C in GCSE Maths as well and are studying at Level 3 (A Level standard)

Oh Lordy....

Graham :surprise:

PS DON'T get me started on the standard of their grammar and spelling :surprise:


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

onl;y got 11/12 as I pressed the wrong answer to the first of the coordinate questions in error. 

15/8 does read a bit daft, but it's correct-ish 

They did all take a bit of thinking about though, it's been over 40 years since A level Math


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Got them all right, doing them in my head. I wonder how kids would do if they weren't allowed calculators?

All we had at school were log books until 16+, then a slide rule as well.

Calculators are fine for higher maths, but IMHO should not be used until at least age 14. Linda


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I used log books too :smile2:

Teenagers basic mental arithmetic is non existent tbh. Even basic 10% calculations are beyond them...and these kids all have at least a C at GCSE Maths too :surprise:

One young lady yesterday struggled to add 4,000 and 1,400 together on the cash flow forecast she was doing ! I wouldn't let her get her calculator out either.>

Graham :smile2:


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