Posted on 06/12/2016 22:01
Facebook seems to be full of maths teasers like the ones below at the minute, but I am astounded how many adults post incorrect answers (at least 75%).
My 10 year old got all of these correct first time, yet many regularly bemoan the perceived lowering of educational standards - I think these kids are learning plenty! 
Posted on 08/12/2016 17:02
A few years ago I worked fairly closely with the ICI technician apprenticeship scheme. The people on the scheme were high achievers but ICI sent them all back to college as the maths they left school/college with just wasn't suitable for industry. So IMO something not right if the curriculum doesn't teach what industries/vocations required
Posted on 08/12/2016 17:43
Basic Maths K! (....well statistics)
That is just a page of place names and numbers, so unless you are stating how the numbers have been derrived, it means nothing!
Measures, sample size, spread etc. etc.
Write your comments here...Dinnae hae time fur awe that -- Hiv a gander at they OECD statistics oan thon internet, aboot educashun and maths. Guid readin !!!
Cheers .......................K
Posted on 08/12/2016 21:02
The third one could be 19. The 1/3 is not necessarily a third of 6 but rather 6 divided by thirds which is 18 + 1 is 19. In fact I would argue it is or it would have been 2 instead of 1/3?........or am I looking too deep?????
No the answer is 1. You can't just work left to right ie 9-3 = 6 then divide by one third (which you correctly say would be 18). Division comes before addition and subtraction.
3 divided by one third is 9, so then its 9 - 9 +1
Think about a caravan engineer charging £50 call out fee plus £20 per hour, for 2 hours the sum is
50 + 2x20
If you work left to right you get 52 x 20 = £1040 rathr than the correct answer of 50 + 40 = £90.
Write your comments here...You need to know the rules of maths. It isn't logical. 'You can't just work from Left to Right ' So, when I sort the rules out I'll be able to do it!! Till then all i need to know is that my engineer hasn't over charged me!!
Posted on 09/12/2016 09:00
People dont really realise how important mathematics can be. Important professions like Physics, Engineering, Medical research, Medicine, and IT and many other disciplines need a high level of mathematics knowledge.
Basic maths, as taught in comprehensive schools is allegedly not good enough to prepare students for university studies of those important subjects, therefore as a result, there is a shortage of graduates into those interesting professions.
Cheers............K
With the current focus on STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths), which is a good thing, (I'm a STEM Ambassador) I argue the M should be changed to Manufacture as the first three are underpinned by maths and the output should be to make (manufacture) tangible things in the three fields.
The recent drive to get more graduates as purely a tick box exercise is not delivering the levels of learning for Engineering. Engineering Technicians are probably the more benefit to society. There are 3 legally protected levels of Professional Registration that youngsters would be best encouraged to aspire to, Eng Tech, IEng and CEng, all of which are achievable without a degree. To focus young minds purely on the academic graduate route is not sufficiently productive for society, hence the oft laudered skills gap that is whinged about.
It makes me question if there is a skills gap, I believe it's an experience gap, then who is making the determination on requisite skills if not competent people currently holding those skills. If the unknowing are making those decisions it's a bit like the blind leading the blind.
This arena is fundamental to human existence. Humans need clothes on their backs, food in their belly and roof over their head; all of which are delivered by STE. The rest are luxuries.
Bit deep, but something that I'm passionate about 
ChemicalJasper
Caravanner