Tell your year 8 or 9 students this test is designed to test their ability to concentrate and use logic while doing a challenging test under pressure.
Tell students to circle the ‘correct’ answer. Then wait to see how long it takes them to think you have totally lost the plot! You can make copies of the test using the PDF links below. You can put the answers up later on the smart board.
Mathspig April Fools Maths Test 1
Tell your year 8 or 9 students this test is designed to test their ability to concentrate and use logic while doing a challenging test under pressure.
Tell students to circle the ‘correct’ answer. Then wait to see how long it takes them to think you have totally lost the plot! You can make copies of the test using the PDF links below. You can put the answers up later on the smart board or just read out the answers.
Mathspig April Fools Math Test 1 USA
We are good at graphs in maths, even funny graphs, but we often forget the power of story telling. Here’s a story about HOW NOT TO DO your MATHS HOMEWORK*.
*NOTE: Homework has never been recorded as the cause of death of a 13 year old.
Read longer version of Hugo Does His Homework here.
So you are in Grade 3. You are asked to do this: Use the repeated multiplication strategy to solve: 5 x 3. Here’s your answer:
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Firstly, give the kid a cigar. According to The Telegraph, UK, the kid is only in Grade 3 and can read: repeated multiplication strategy without their head exploding. Secondly, this kid understands the question.
5 x 3 = 5 + 5 + 5 except, according to the teacher, this answer is wrong.
The answer should be:
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
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According to The Telegraph : The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in the US defended how the paper was marked, saying it gives students a better understanding of the problems they are solving.
Of course, the NCTM is suggesting:
5 x 3 = 5 times 3 = 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
5 x X = 5 times X = X + X + X + X + X
But what about:
X x 3 = ?
X x 3 = X times 3 = 3 times X = X + X + X
Mathematicians have to think like this! They must be nibble. Mathematicians must think for themselves.
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Too many kids hate maths due to FEAR or BOREDOM. How much would you hate maths if you got correct answers marked WRONG?
And how much would you FEAR the next maths test?
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Needless to say, I’m with Bart. Math teachers should not mark right answers wrong for any reason. More reasons why kids hate maths here: BEWARE OF MATHS FUNDAMENTALISTS
Cheerio for now
Randall Munroe is a pro web cartoonist, maths nut and maths guru who answers crazy hypothetical questions using maths. His website is xkcd.……………………………………………………………………..
And his book What if? Can be found here.……………………………………………………………………………………………..
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Theobromine in chocolate can be lethal. Here is the Death By Chocolate Maths.
