Hi
I'm posting this on behalf of my aunt's friend's son who is currently in primary one and the he has come up with a problem sum that he cannot solve at all. In desperation, my aunt asked me to try to help himwith one problem sum that even an O Level graduate like me couldn't solve it without using algebra. Is there anyone willing to help this boy? Thanks in advance.
Here goes the question:
Kim, Mei and Yanti collect stamps. Kim and Mei have 220 stamps more than Yanti. Yanti and Mei have 140 stamps more than Kim. Kim and Yanti have 500 stamps. How many stamps does Mei have?
My answer is 180, using System of Linear Equations
Originally posted by tanpantheon1:Hi
I'm posting this on behalf of my aunt's friend's son who is currently in primary one and the he has come up with a problem sum that he cannot solve at all. In desperation, my aunt asked me to try to help him with one problem sum that even an O Level graduate like me couldn't solve it without using algebra. Is there anyone willing to help this boy? Thanks in advance.
Here goes the question:
Kim, Mei and Yanti collect stamps. Kim and Mei have 220 stamps more than Yanti. Yanti and Mei have 140 stamps more than Kim. Kim and Yanti have 500 stamps. How many stamps does Mei have?
My answer is 180, using System of Linear Equations
K + M = 220 + Y
Y + M = 140 + K
K + Y = 500
Sub K = (500 - Y) into 1st eqn, we get : 2Y - M = 280, hence M = 2Y - 280
Sub K = (500 - Y) and M = (2Y - 280) into 2nd eqn, we get : Y + (2Y - 280) = 140 + (500 - Y), hence 4Y = 920, ie. Y = 230
Concordantly, K = 270, and M = 180.
Sometimes I face difficulties in helping my tutees to solve such problems.
Sigh... last time when I started Primary 1 (2007), Maths during that time was at least 10x easier than an average problem sum in primary 1 now in 2017... I don't have to draw model diagrams at my primary 1 and 2 time, dunno why primary school math is getting increasingly harder these years... if MOE were to at least bring the whole topic of secondady school algebra into the primary school syllabus, then it would save the lives of thousands of primary school kids who struggled badly just to barely pass maths.
Umm what...? This question's standard is akin to Sec 1! (simultaneous equations IIRC) O.O
Primary schools' questions are getting tougher and tougher. Young children still in primary school shouldn't face this amount of stress, as I think it will foster a competitive and selfish attitude towards others for future generations.
When I was Primary 1 in 2007, I only counted apples and stuff in the workbook, on top of the 1+1 straightforward stuff. T_T
Originally posted by Lockheed5150:Umm what...? This question's standard is akin to Sec 1! (simultaneous equations IIRC) O.O
Primary schools' questions are getting tougher and tougher. Young children still in primary school shouldn't face this amount of stress, as I think it will foster a competitive and selfish attitude towards others for future generations.
When I was Primary 1 in 2007, I only counted apples and stuff in the workbook, on top of the 1+1 straightforward stuff. T_T
Actually I find that this question is more like A Levels where one is expected to solve 3-variable simultaneous equations (not taught in secondary school). And I agree with you in terms of not putting such extreme stress at such an age becuase of the reason you pointed out plus it causes one to lose interest in studying at such a young age.
Originally posted by gekpohboy:You sure this is primary 1? How the fuck do you do this via draw model, or write simple equations (without finding common unit)? Looks more like secondary 2, where students are taught how to find the common ‘x’ and then use that to find the other values.
100% sure. Despite the fact that it is a primary 1 sum, I couldn't even draw an appropriate model to represent this question... so I had no choice but to use algebraic methods. Plus this boy mentioned at the top of this topic is a Primary 1 kid now.
This kind of math's problem not only appear in Singapore, but in UK as well! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5723087/Ridiculous-lighthouse-maths-problem-intended-PRIMARY-students-leaves-parents-baffled.html
Top primary school P1 students do not have this level of difficulty question.
A check of the top 10 P1 exam questions from 2012 to 2016 shows that there is no question of this level of difficulty.
I used to work in a student care until end of 2016 and this is not in their school syllabus unless they are having kumon tuition (primary one handling numbers up to 1,000, multiplication, division, addition and substraction)
They were taught that
more than/and refers to "+"
Less than refers to "-"
is/have refers to "="
Kim + Mei = 220 + Yanti
yanti + Mei = 140 + Kim
Kim + yanti = 500 stamps ( extra information; focus is on mei )
kim + Mei + yanti + Mei = 220 + yanti + 140 + kim
mei + Mei = 360
mei = 360/2 = 180
Originally posted by Ryanne:I used to work in a student care until end of 2016 and this is not in their school syllabus unless they are having kumon tuition (primary one handling numbers up to 1,000, multiplication, division, addition and substraction)
They were taught that
more than/and refers to "+"
Less than refers to "-"
is/have refers to "="
Kim + Mei = 220 + Yanti
yanti + Mei = 140 + Kim
Kim + yanti = 500 stamps ( extra information; focus is on mei )
kim + Mei + yanti + Mei = 220 + yanti + 140 + kim
mei + Mei = 360
mei = 360/2 = 180
The problem is do MOE schools accept this kind of answers and give grade for that or not?
Originally posted by The Code:
The problem is do MOE schools accept this kind of answers and give grade for that or not?
I actually think it looks pretty standard Pri sch answer to me.
Ryanne was illustrating the model method using words.
Model Drawing is only taught from primary three not from primary one.
Ah I see. I don't know primary school syllabus haha
Originally posted by eagle:Ah I see. I don't know primary school syllabus haha
You and me both. I couldn't remember what I learnt in primary school other than the problem sum nightmares (same for other subjects)