I would imagine this is an exercise in logic and not an actually math question.
My 6YO is doing quite average in first grade and they have not gone beyond one digit addition and substraction.
Logic problem set by school for my 6 year old
by besty 30 Replies latest jw friends
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slimboyfat
0 0 4
0 4 0
4 0 0
0 1 3
1 0 3
0 3 1
1 3 0
3 1 0
3 0 1
2 2 0
2 0 2
0 2 2
What other ways are there?
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HintOfLime
Slimboyfat:
Well, for one, you missed the "1 1 2" style of combinations...
But then you're not accounting for when you say, ie. 1 3 0... which 3 shells are in bucket 1 (A, B, and C? A, B, and D? A, C, D? etc...), and which of the 4 shells ends up in bucket 2?
81 is the number I'd go with, assuming the children must carry the shells in buckets.
- Lime
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slimboyfat
Oh yeah
1 1 2
1 2 1
2 1 1
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White Dove
All can take shells home, but one will have two in their bucket.
Or, one of the shells can be left on the beach.
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slimboyfat
I doubt the teacher is looking for A B C combinations. Without that would the answer be 15 different ways?
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besty
SBF- "3 children collect 4 different shells on the beach"
That the teacher specified 'different' shells makes it relevant to the solution.
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WontLeave
The only conceivable answers are 81 and 4. Logic would dictate it's 4, judging by the age of the children. I think the teacher is just looking for an easy puzzle that can be done at home with some pennies and bowls, or something. I doubt he's expecting 1st-graders (I'm assuming, since it's 6-year-olds) to be doing powers. I'm also assuming the question is copied directly from the assignment and it was presented as
How many different ways can the children take the shells home
I'm thinking if the teacher wanted powers, instead of simply "ways", it would have included "combinations" or something indicating which shell in which bucket should be considered. For extra credit and to openly admit you helped, send the child with "4 ways, allowing 3 4 (or 81) possible shell/bucket combinations."
@slimboyfat
I don't see anything in the question which would specify buckets while not specifying shells.
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TD
Yeah. I'm surprised at the idea of a six year old doing powers too. At the same time though, a six year old who's spent any time picking up shells on the beach may well know the difference between a conch, clam, cowrie and cockle and the thought of who comes home with which shell(s) would enter the picture.
Maybe the teacher is not really looking for an answer at all, but just trying to stimulate their minds (?)
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skeeter1
Geesh! I deal with these "homework" questions too. These super tough problems compromise about 10-20% of all homework questions each night.
I complained to the teacher...
..."6 year olds can't think this way. They think literally, and almost by rogue memorization. They don't have deductive reasoning capabilities. You are teaching the 6 year old to get frustrated. When a child is frustrated, the next thing the child learns is to "hate". So, now my child regularly says, 'I hate math.'"....
Know what responses I got?
..."We are teaching for the standardized test. The children have to pass it in the 3rd & 4th grades. We must start introducing topics now..."
..."We are teaching for tomorrow's employers. They will demand this reasoning ability."
At this point, I want to throw up my hands and scream. "But, it's not teaching most 6 year olds. You are getting them frustrated!"
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I'm going to tell you to go into the classroom. Volunteer. You will learn alot of what is going on (and not going on) in the classroom.
Remember how we sat in rows, all facing the teacher? That's not the norm anymore. Elementary kids sit in workgroups of 4 to 5 kids, all facing each other! Do you know how much work we could get done if we faced our best friend (or foe)? Not much! I see kids talking, sticking out tongues, the teacher not being able to call the class to order (like takes 5 minutes, plus). My child comes home with elaborate stories of what happened that day, who wore what, who liked who, etc. The kids are focused on each other, cuz that's who they face. Some of the kids will face the outside window or the door/hallway. They will have to turn 145 degrees just to see the teacher and blackboard. There are so many ways the school system shoots itself in the foot.
You have to be your child's advocate, doing it all behind the scenes. If the child sees you getting frustrated at the teacher/school, your child will use it as an excuse to not learn. You can request and interview teachers for next year. You can ask for more traditional teachers (i.e. traditional seating option, etc.). But, the homework and books are likely set by the school district....and along comes the riduculous assingments. Oh, wait until you see the assignments skip around. Concentrating on fractions one week, measurement the next, algebra (comes in 3rd grade now), and then get back to multiplcation tables later on!
Skeeter