Honestly, we cannot believe it. We’ve checked it ten times and we still cannot believe. It’s from the 2022 Specialist Mathematics Exam 2 (not online), and nothing beyond the discussion on the exam post needs to be added. But, after last year’s screw up, and anyway, it has to be posted.
Category: PoSWW
PoSWW 29: Cut Down in One’s Prime
As part of writing our WWW article, we forced ourselves, finally, to look at ACARA’s new Mathematics Curriculum. Jesus, it’s bad. Like village idiot bad.
We’ll start a post in the near future,* compiling the various nonsenses, new and old, and including aspects readers have already pointed out on this post. One new piece of stupidity, however, seems worthy of special mention.
PoSWW 28: The Intersection of Feminism With PISA
A few days ago Greg Ashman handballed an article to us, suggesting we might enjoy it, although clearly he meant “enjoy” it. The (paywalled) article, just published in the journal Research in Mathematics Education, is titled
Intersectional feminism to reenvision mathematical literacies & precarity
Yeah, you don’t have to read the article. We did.
Continue reading “PoSWW 28: The Intersection of Feminism With PISA”
PoSWW 27: That Does Not Compete
This one’s from AMT‘s 2007 upper primary Australian Mathematics Competition. Yes, it’s a while ago, and we are not aware that such BODMAS nonsense has appeared since on the AMC, and of course such BODMAS nonsense is endemic elsewhere. But we hold, or at least held, AMT to a higher standard.
PoSWW 26: Elevated Concern
Yeah, it’s been a while. We’ve been busy. But, hopefully we’re now back with normal transmission, and we’ll start with an easy one, courtesy of Mysterious Michael. It is an exercise and solution from Cambridge Essentials Year 10/10A.
PoSWW 25: Awe Inspiring
Courtesy of the TI Inspire CAS thingo. God only knows why.
PoSWW 24: Proportional Reasoning
The implication appears to be that this is opening the gates of hell. Continue reading “PoSWW 24: Proportional Reasoning”
PoSWW 23: Jo Boaler is Challenged
It’s Greg Ashman‘s fault. It’s always Greg Ashman’s fault.
A couple days ago Ashman had an excellent post, on Jo Boaler and her California Dreamin’ curriculum. That draft curriculum has been, let’s say, hammered, particularly by mathematicians. Not that such criticism slows Boaler:
“We understand education, and they have no experience studying education. Mathematicians sit on high and say this is what is happening in schools.” Continue reading “PoSWW 23: Jo Boaler is Challenged”
PoSWW 22: A Distant Reality
Please make it stop. This one is a multiple choice question from the 2009 Specialist Exam 2 . The examination report gives the answer as A, without comment.
PoSWW 21: A Model Answer
This is another old one, this time from the 2010 Specialist Exam 2. Continue reading “PoSWW 21: A Model Answer”