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[Closed] To confirm - this is a terrible mental maths question, isn't it?

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[#8242155]

I've got to take a numeracy and literacy exam tomorrow. Professional skills tests. Not too challenging but the maths has 10 mental maths questions with a minute to answer each.

The first has me stumped and worried!

The question is:

[i]A maths course is assessed with 3/4 written work and 1/4 coursework. 1/4 of the written work is mental maths. What fraction of the course is mental maths.[/i]

Besides this being a strangely worded question (some of the written work is mental maths), sure the fraction is 1/4 of 3/4 which I can't work out in a minute but using a calculator for .75/4=0.1875 = 1875/100000

Is there an easier way of doing this? I've transcribed the question correctly but were they expecting an answer of 1/4?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:48 pm
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3/16

You could be in trouble 😀


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:52 pm
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From the days when I used to use fractions (early secondary school, IIRC), you're essentially multiplying fractions:

So you want to know what 1/4 of 3/4 is. Multiply the numerators (top numbers) and you get 1x3=3. Multiply the denominators (bottom numbers) and you get 4x4=16.

So the answer is 3/16. Which is also 0.1875.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:52 pm
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1/4 * 3/4 = (1*3)/(4*4) = 3/16

Aside: This is why imperial measurements are practical.

(Edit: added a step to show working)


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:53 pm
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Yeah, what they said.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:54 pm
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I was going to say 3/16ths too.

1 3 1x3 3
-x- =---- = -
4 4 4x4 16


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:58 pm
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Rabbit Based Maths
A magician pulls rabbits out of a top hat at the rate of 18 standard rabbits per hour. How long will it be before he has enough pelts to make a fur coat for his assistant, who has a mass volume of 144 gallons?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 4:59 pm
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thanks.

yes allthepies. I'm ****ed!

^^rhymes with mucked


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:01 pm
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There maybe trouble ahead.... 🙂

Good luck, I have a horrible feeling you might need it!


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:01 pm
 Drac
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A maths course is assessed with 3/4 written work and 1/4 coursework. 1/4 of the written work is mental maths. What fraction of the course is mental maths.

I thought you were describing the actual test.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:06 pm
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it asks what fracton of the COURSE is mental maths, not what fraction of the ASSESSMENT


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:09 pm
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Also it's 1875/10000 (but nicer as 3/16)


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:14 pm
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Is there not the problem that at no point does it imply that the same percentage of mental maths applies to both written work and coursework?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 5:49 pm
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Is there not the problem that at no point does it imply that the same percentage of mental maths applies to both written work and coursework?

[i]A maths course is assessed with 3/4 written work and 1/4 coursework. 1/4 [b]of the written work[/b] is mental maths. What fraction of the course is mental maths?
[/i]

It does not imply any of the coursework is 'mental maths'.

What are the professional test for? Teaching?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 6:45 pm
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Reminds me of the time I ordered a tumble drier instore. Had to leave a deposit of at least 10%. The drier was £118 so I said "I'll just pay £18 as the deposit then."

At which point the shop assistant got his calculator out so he could tell me that I'd have £100 left to pay.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 7:35 pm
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OP firstly apologies I never sent back the email I should have done 🙁

Secondly its our job so onwards and upwards and knock 'em dead. Maths tests on Christmas Eve, set by Ebenezer Scrouge no doubt !

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meanwhile back in the real world of hard knocks .... that wasn't a hard question, one quarter of three quarters (I do have a post-grad in a maths related subject 😉 )


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 7:58 pm
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I'm so old I went to primary school where such things were routine 😉


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 9:41 pm
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Can mental maths be written or does it then become something else? Was this a numeracy question or a literacy question?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 9:55 pm
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Mental maths?

Just do what anyone would do, use t'internet:

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=quarter+of+three+quarters


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 10:02 pm
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I'm so old I went to primary school where such things were routine

Still is 😉

Don't believe the Daily Mail, standards have not really slipped...though clearly people's memories have 😉


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 10:13 pm
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Primary school maths is a lot more complex than it was 40 years ago when I did it.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 10:22 pm
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What's that maths altenative to the times table where stuff is added rather than multiplied (or something like that)?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 10:25 pm
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Logarithms?


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 10:34 pm
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Still is

Don't believe the Daily Mail, standards have not really slipped...though clearly people's memories have

Not in my experience, children's understanding of fractions is woeful.


 
Posted : 23/12/2016 11:05 pm
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Not in my experience, children's understanding of fractions is woeful.

Probably reflects the teachers ability in maths, there was a TV programme that showed that a disturbing number couldn't pass the exam the kids had. How they teach something where they have no comprehension of it is beyond me


 
Posted : 24/12/2016 1:35 am
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Always amazes me how people struggle with percentages, all this dividing by hundreds etc, loads of button tapping.


 
Posted : 24/12/2016 7:42 am
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How did you get hold of the questions? You said you have a minute to answer each one. You've had a day to do this one.
Anyway, this isn't maths. It's arithmetic.


 
Posted : 24/12/2016 8:16 am