Homework for an 11 year old
Discussion
k I'm. not the parent of an 11yo and will never be.
That does seem rather extreme!
I'm pretty certain that my 12yr old hasn't moved on to stuff like that, and I'm not convinced my 14yr old has either! I'll have to check when she wakes up some time around lunchtime!
I scraped my way through A level maths, so will have done this at some point, but that was thirty years ago, which means the last time I would've needed to use it was, er, thirty years ago!
No doubt there are plenty of engineering type applications where knowledge of quadratic equations is critical, but it does rather strike me that a fairly large percentage of the maths taught in schools will be forever utterly irrelevant to 99% of the population.
I'm pretty certain that my 12yr old hasn't moved on to stuff like that, and I'm not convinced my 14yr old has either! I'll have to check when she wakes up some time around lunchtime!
I scraped my way through A level maths, so will have done this at some point, but that was thirty years ago, which means the last time I would've needed to use it was, er, thirty years ago!
No doubt there are plenty of engineering type applications where knowledge of quadratic equations is critical, but it does rather strike me that a fairly large percentage of the maths taught in schools will be forever utterly irrelevant to 99% of the population.
It doesn't seem excessive. Its a long time since I needed to care; Google says Grade 4 or upwards depending on country for quadratics.
But there is a chasm between what kids need to learn to start an engineering career at 21, and what their parents use day to day. There always has been.
So, your kids are correct - you're no use!
But there is a chasm between what kids need to learn to start an engineering career at 21, and what their parents use day to day. There always has been.
So, your kids are correct - you're no use!
It might look difficult, but that's just because its unfamiliar. You could put the word "hello" written in Arabic in front of me and I wouldn't know what it meant or how to interpret it until I'd checked online. It doesn't mean you're stupid.
An 11 year old will basically get taught. "if you see this presented to you, move the numbers around so you have it looking like this, then use this formula."
Follow the example and you'll see its actually quite simple.
An 11 year old will basically get taught. "if you see this presented to you, move the numbers around so you have it looking like this, then use this formula."
Follow the example and you'll see its actually quite simple.
Does seem early for that. I can do that but then I'm an engineer and that's a near daily thing I'd use except I cheat and use a spreadsheet.
I think we were probably using iterative solutions to estimate answers to stuff like that when I was 11.
Try 3 and 7. pq = 21 over
Try 2 and 8. pq = 16 under
p must be between 2 and 3
Try 2.5 and 7.5. pq = 18.75 over
Try 2.4 and 7.6. pq = 18.24 over
Try 2.3 and 7.7 pq = 17.71 under
p must be between 2.3 and 2.4
Try 2.35 and 7.65. pq = 17.9775 or 18.0 if you work to 1 decimal place
Very laborious if you aren't allowed a calculator. Or want it further refined.
I think we were probably using iterative solutions to estimate answers to stuff like that when I was 11.
Try 3 and 7. pq = 21 over
Try 2 and 8. pq = 16 under
p must be between 2 and 3
Try 2.5 and 7.5. pq = 18.75 over
Try 2.4 and 7.6. pq = 18.24 over
Try 2.3 and 7.7 pq = 17.71 under
p must be between 2.3 and 2.4
Try 2.35 and 7.65. pq = 17.9775 or 18.0 if you work to 1 decimal place
Very laborious if you aren't allowed a calculator. Or want it further refined.
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