Community Chat

[beckyb1012]

We were just starting on multiplication back in the dark ages in 2nd grade then cursive handwriting in 3rd grade. Second graders are too young for that type of math but may very well indeed need more than the late 60's type math.  With all of their computer background in comparison to what we did not have beginning our own educations.  Still a child still be able to just be a child.

[Peaches McPhee]

Second grade?  This problem requires algebra; I did not learn algebra until the 9th grade.  

Is this possible?

[beckyb1012]

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wrote:

Second grade?  This problem requires algebra; I did not learn algebra until the 9th grade.  

Is this possible?

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We did not start it here in my town until the 7th grade only because the school district wanted to try for the first time ever if 8th graders could do well with Algebra 1 and give them "high school" credit for the class.  Criteria for the early class had to be a high grade point average and understanding of the algebra itself.  When some of my friends qualified for the early high school credit I was happy for them but happy for myself to continue with just regular math @Peaches McPhee

[depglass]

And they wonder why kids lose interest in school. 

[geezerette]

I’m just glad don’t have to be in second grade now.

[JJsMom]

I saw this story. The teacher said it was worded wrong. They probably meant for it to be a simple subtraction problem. It's not a typical 2nd grade math question. I've caught poorly worded questions in my son's homework from time to time.

I don't see how this could be confusing for adults though. It clearly says 36 MORE small dogs than large ones. Adults who are confused by why the answer is not 13 just didn't read the question carefully.

I know it's en vogue to bash "common core math" but I actually like it. It makes the students understand what they are learning as opposed to using rote memorization or following a specific formula to get to the answer.

[qualitygal]

I say if the child's parents can't  figure it out, maybe they need to visit the teacher and be sure this is meant for their child. Accidents happen.

[Yardlie]

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I didn't see this anywhere else on the boards, so I'm asking here. If it is on the boards, please direct me to it. This question has been all over online the last couple days. Supposedly, it is a second grade math question...but it is stumping most people. Now, I was not a math major, but I did go through one semester of calculus. Maybe my mind is beginning to go. What I want to know is, what did you get for an answer...and since when did they start teaching algebra in second grade?

Question: “There are 49 dogs signed up to compete in the dog show,” The question begins. “There are 36 more small dogs than large dogs signed up to compete. How many small dogs are signed up to compete?”

My obvious solution was the same as many other people: 49 total dogs minus 36 small dogs must equal 13 large dogs...so that leaves 36 small dogs. Seemed too easy, but it is a second grade question!!!

The correct answer I found online is: 

What you’re doing is trying to solve for x. Think of large dogs as “x” and small dogs as “y.”

49 = x+y and y = x+36

So, combine the two equations and you get:

49 = x + x+36

49 = 2x + 36

13 = 2x

x = 6.5

y = 42.5

?????!!!!! Anyone care to clarify? (1) Why isn't the answer 13? (2) Since when do second graders solve for "x"? "How can you have a half a dog?" Thanks!

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@Yardlie

IMO, you are right about the fact that one cannot have .5  or 1/2 a dog.

it is stupid to expect second graders to do algebra, even though they are probably using pictures of dogs and assigning the quantities with letters: d and D.

This problem may have been thrown into the annual assessment as one of those “trial” problems that the testing company will use to see if kids can do them.

DD (age 34 now) was taught statistics problems in 2nd and 3rd. The teachers told me that blah Blah blah to establish concepts only. She had trouble remembering how to do long division so I really don’t think fast and surface math in elementary is best.💗❤️💙💜

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Quote from "Loves to Teach": The reason one cannot just subtract is because the problem states that there are 36 MORE small dogs than large dogs.

 In my opinion, the question is poorly written. It did state that there were 49 TOTAL dogs signed up for the dog show and that there were 36 more small dogs than large dogs. That could be interpreted two ways. The way you interpreted it was that there were another 36 small dogs. I interpreted it the way many others did...that of the 49 dogs, 36 were small dogs. Just one of those poorly written questions.

When I taught, we had a machine that did a statistical analysis of test questions. When a certain percent of students got it wrong, it was considered a bad question. We threw it out and did not use it again. This particular question just seemed inappropriate for the age group of the students. 

[Yardlie]

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wrote:

I saw this story. The teacher said it was worded wrong. They probably meant for it to be a simple subtraction problem. It's not a typical 2nd grade math question. I've caught poorly worded questions in my son's homework from time to time.

I don't see how this could be confusing for adults though. It clearly says 36 MORE small dogs than large ones. Adults who are confused by why the answer is not 13 just didn't read the question carefully.

I know it's en vogue to bash "common core math" but I actually like it. It makes the students understand what they are learning as opposed to using rote memorization or following a specific formula to get to the answer.

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Actually, it is an ambiguous question. It clearly stated that 49 dogs were registered for the dog show.

[JJsMom]

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Actually, it is an ambiguous question. It clearly stated that 49 dogs were registered for the dog show.

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How is that ambiguous?