We have a short Specialist post coming, and we’ll have more to write on the 2019 VCE exams once they’re online. But, for now, one more Mathematical Methods WitCH, from the 2019 (calculator-free) Exam 1:
Tag: WitCH
WitCH 30: Absolute Zero
We’ve been told it’s time to give Bambi a whack. The following was sent to us last night:
WitCH 29: Bad Roots
This one is double-barrelled. A strange multiple choice question appeared in the 2019 NHT Mathematical Methods Exam 2 (CAS). We had thought to let it pass, but a similar question appeared in last’s weeks Methods exam (no link yet, but the Study Design is here). So, here we go.
First, the NHT question:
The examination report indicates the correct answer, C, and provides a suggested solution:
And, here’s last week’s question (with no examination report yet available):
WitCH 28: Tone Deaf
We haven’t yet had a chance to go through the 2019 VCE exams, but this question was flagged to me independently by two colleagues: let’s call them Dr. Death and Simon the Likeable. It’s from Mathematical Methods Exam 2 (CAS). (No link yet.)
WitCH 27: Uncomposed
Ah, so much crap …
Tons of nonsense to post on, and the Evil Mathologer is breathing down our neck. We’ll have (at least) three posts on last week’s Mathematical Methods exams. This one is by no means the worst to come, but it fits in with our previous WitCH, so let’s quickly get it going. It is from Exam 1. (No link yet, but the Study Design is here.)
WitCH 26: Imminent Domain
The following WitCH is pretty old, but it came up in a tutorial yesterday, so what the Hell. (It’s also a good warm-up for another WitCH, to appear in the next day or so.) It comes from the 2011 Mathematical Methods Exam 1:
For part (a), the Examination Report indicates that f(g)(x) =√([x+2][x+8]), leading to c = 2 and d = 8, or vice versa. The Report indicates that three quarters of students scored 2/2, “However, many [students] did not state a value for c and d”.
For Part (b), the Report indicates that 84% of students scored 0/2. After indicating the intended answer, (-∞,-8) U (-2,∞) (-∞,-8] U [-2,∞) or R
(-8,-2), the Report goes on to comment:
“This question was very poorly done. Common incorrect responses included [-3,3] (the domain of f(x); x ≥ -2 (as the ‘intersection’ of x ≥ -8 with x ≥ -2); or x ≥ -8 (as the ‘union’ of x ≥ -8 with x ≥ -2). Those who attempted to use the properties of composite functions tended to get confused. Students needed to look for a domain that would make the square root function work.”
The Report does not indicate how students got “confused”, although the composition of functions is briefly discussed in the Study Design (page 72).
WitCH 25: U Turn
WitCH 24: The Fix is In
We’ve finally found some time to take a look at VCAA’s 2019 NHT exams. They’re generally bad in the predictable ways, and they include some specific and seemingly now standard weirdness that we’ll try to address soon in a more systematic manner. WitCHwise, we were tempted by a number of questions, but we’ve decided to keep it to two or three.
Our first NHT WitCH is from the final question on Exam 2 (CAS) of Mathematical Methods:
As usual, the NHT “Report” indicates nothing of how students went, and little of what was expected. In regard to part f, the Report writes,
p(x) = q(x) = x, p'(x) = q'(x) = 1, k = 1/e
For part g, all that the Report provides is the answer, k = 1.
The VCAA also provides sample Mathematica solutions to schools trialling Methods CBE. For the questions above, these solutions are as follows:
Make of it what you will.
WitCH 21: Just Following Orders
This WitCH come courtesy of a smart VCE student. It concerns the newly instituted VCE subject of Algorithmics, and comes from the 2017 exam:
The Examiners’ Report indicates that half of students gave the intended answer of A, and notes
It is important for students to understand that Big-O notation describes an upper bound, and so is only used for analysis of worst-case running times.
Have fun.
WitCH 20: Tattletail
This one is like complaining about the deck chairs on the Titanic, but what the Hell. The WitCH is courtesy of John the Merciless. It is from the 2018 Specialist Mathematics Exam 2:
The Examiners’ Report notes the intended answer:
H0: μ = 150, H1: μ < 150
The Report indicates that 70% of students gave the intended answer, and the Report comments on students’ answers:
The question was answered well. Common errors included: poor notation such as H0 = 150 or similar, and not understanding the nature of a one-tailed test, evidenced by answers such as H1: μ ≠ 150.
Have fun.