challenged to answer a sample question (maths) from Chinese university entrance test
Apr 25, 2007 at 8:31 AM Post #3 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanY /img/forum/go_quote.gif
That's pretty cool. The Chinese question is a lot like the Descartes exam the University of Waterloo in Canada uses as an entry criterion.


My exact thoughts! I could've sworn there's been a question like that every year on the Euclid (at least the two/three times I took it in high school).
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 9:00 AM Post #6 of 74
The second one is a joke. I imagine the first one wouldn't be too hard if I was just taught how to do something like that. I read the first question for it and could probably figure out what properties I'd need to know to solve it.

The English one must be from a community college, or something extremely easy, because I knew how to do that in 8th grade. Whoever created that article took the example too far, kind of makes me question the integrity of the writer.
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 9:04 AM Post #7 of 74
Neither is terribly difficult. All simple laws of sines and cosines, some Pythagorean theorem, and a little bit of deductive logic. Most of which is easily covered in Precalculus courses, and certainly Calc I.
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 9:04 AM Post #8 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by pne /img/forum/go_quote.gif
why would you have chemistry students take such complicated math theory?


It's not complicated theory. It's just basic geometry... the key component is that it tests reasoning. That's the main goal of the question, not the mathematical angle.
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 9:21 AM Post #9 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanY /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's not complicated theory. It's just basic geometry... the key component is that it tests reasoning. That's the main goal of the question, not the mathematical angle.


my mistake, I didn't try to solve the problem but finding angles between planes and lines in space seems straight out of my first year linear algebra course. not something we would ever cover in highschool. Still, math is math and it should be left to those who are talented in it. Some peoples minds just don't operate in the manner that would enable them to come up with a math proof for example. I am also a firm believer that learning enough math will eventually drive you to insanity....
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 3:53 PM Post #11 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by Exit Pupil /img/forum/go_quote.gif
from the article i gathered it was for a 'general entrance', something all students may be required to pass, not just for maths / science students...?


True, it's probably a question that all students are given, but that's no guarantee that the non math and science students will answer it correctly. There are always easy and hard questions on a test and we don't know which category that problem falls under.
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 4:05 PM Post #12 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanY /img/forum/go_quote.gif
That's pretty cool. The Chinese question is a lot like the Descartes exam the University of Waterloo in Canada uses as an entry criterion.


Eugh.. UoW... I hate that place...
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 4:06 PM Post #13 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by pne /img/forum/go_quote.gif
why would you have chemistry students take such complicated math theory?


In UoW, i was taking comp eng, and i had to take chemistry for one semester. answer me that.. the rest of the program had nothing to do with chemistry
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 4:33 PM Post #14 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanY /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's not complicated theory. It's just basic geometry... the key component is that it tests reasoning. That's the main goal of the question, not the mathematical angle.


Mathematics was built on reasoning dude
tongue.gif
 
Apr 25, 2007 at 4:43 PM Post #15 of 74
Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmtn4aj /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Mathematics was built on reasoning dude
tongue.gif



lies it was based on hot pants....but both problems are elementary
 
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