Comments on: Here’s A “Math” Question For You…

By: bomber

bomber — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:46:53 +0000

I think the key to the solution is that there are five aliens represented, and eight non-aliens. You need to use the answer set as an additional source of information in order to solve the problem.

My guess is second from the right.

By: Big Pile O' Fragrant Roses

Big Pile O' Fragrant Roses — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:16:10 +0000

Must be number 3. All foreigners have long noses, so aliens have long noses. QED.

By: ThinkBlue

ThinkBlue — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:13:00 +0000

I always over-think these kinds of questions. I mean, if I can find some abstract way of defining the first 4 different to the second 4 then am I still right? Or am I wrong because I didn’t find the answer the question maker thought of?

By: Tiu Fu Fong

Tiu Fu Fong — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 05:40:22 +0000

The “correct” answer seems to involve a syllogistic fallacy.

The answer follows the logic:
- All these example aliens have a triangle and three tentacles with circles
- All these example non-aliens not have a triangle and three tentacles with circles
- Therefore, anything with a triangle and three tentacles with circles is an alien

That’s like arguing:
- All cats have four legs
- No human has four legs
- This dog has four legs, therefore it must be a cat

“Correct” answers that defy logic? I guess it prepares the kids for life under the Party.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 04:55:14 +0000

I’m pretty sure this math problem does not originate in China. I had math books as a kid that had some questions like this. I’m trying to find it now but can’t remember because it was printed in Britian; the closest I could find is this one, whose contents and illustrations don’t look too far off from the above problem: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1580627730/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

By: Amanda R.

Amanda R. — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 04:03:25 +0000

Thanks for the input. I went with the last one since it was the only one where the options were different, heh.

By: Some Guy

Some Guy — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:15:37 +0000

Never seen a list of dos and don’ts?

By: Ick

Ick — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:43:30 +0000

Perhaps my English subpar, but when is -don’t- ever used as a noun. A do in British usage at least can mean a hair-do- or a party, but I thought -don’t- was only ever an auxillary verb.

By: The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:38:03 +0000

yes and we all hate mexicans. why state something so obvious?

By: maxiewawa

maxiewawa — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:34:52 +0000

The answer above implies that all if the first line “aliens” share some characteristic that isn’t present in the second “non-alien” line, an implication that is not explicitly stated.

One might assume that there are NO other “aliens” other than those specified in the first line, with this assumption in place, you might also give the answer that none of the characters in the third line are aliens.

Suffice it to say, the Chinese education system is a pile of crap.

By: Some Guy

Some Guy — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:29:30 +0000

The answer is D. This exact phrase seems to be made-in-China English, but “but me no buts” is a set phrase (albeit a rather old-fashioned one), and the phrase in the question follows the same format.

According to Wiktionary the “X me no Xs” format is is “a literary device common in literature from the 16th to the 18th centuries, in which the speaker is asking that something not be provided to him, often as a pun incorporating the use of a particular word both as a verb and as a noun.”

By: Chackie Jan

Chackie Jan — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:10:28 +0000

Can’t believe only 5 out of 11 teachers could solve it.

By: Chackie Jan

Chackie Jan — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:08:39 +0000

Five points out of a hundred. It doesn’t show how many questions there are so we can’t say whether this one is over or undervalued.

By: Alicia

Alicia — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:54:40 +0000

Right, I guess so, but to me, answering this question is more about having “analytical” skills as opposed to really thinking creatively and differently.

Anyway, did anyone also notice that this question is worth 5 points? Does it mean relative to other questions this is worth more (or I just assume it’s 1 point per question)? I’m just curious because sometimes I find points allocation are a bit arbitrary …

By: Chackie Jan

Chackie Jan — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:54:03 +0000

I think it’s good to throw kids off from time to time. I’d rather see kids solving a bit of this kind of stuff than mindlessly jot down numbers or memorizing lines.