[DJShadow]

The first question looks a lot harder than it actually is. Never the less, I can't be arsed to work it out. Hmm the irony in that...

 

[DSlayerZX]

being a fob XD

I was studying math in Taiwan until I graduate elementary school and brought a bunch of high school/middle school text book and reference book when I came to America.

I realized that for many question, they tend to it extreme complicated. Not as the concept built on the questions are hard, but base on the fact that the question is long and time consuming. (may need to do the same step over and over again to solver one question)

But overall, the actual material is not that hard. Worse... some just literally memorize the exact way to approach the similar questino wiht out understanding the basic concept of the equations.


PS: Hell, I even encounter some thing like 521242*79514 for my elementary school final before I graduate

 

[jinp6301]

well its not that hard, and I'm pretty sure that they chose an easy one from an not that prestigious university but check out University of Tokyo's entrance exam, or if you want an easier one, the National University of Seoul's (South Korea) entrance exam. I got a 1540 on the SATs (the old one) and I could only do like half of the questions on the NUoS math test. America still hasnt figured out that theyre so far behind a lot of the industrialized Asian countries in education.

 

[Dimitris]

Students in my country have to know how to solve differential equations and derivatives in order to get in the university so I am not impressed. Now if BBC just found out that students in British universities lack in technical skills then it might be news to them but not to me. After all universities in UK give engineering Bachelors in 3 years. In most reasonable countries you have to go to school for 5.

 

[pne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif America still hasnt figured out that theyre so far behind a lot of the industrialized Asian countries in education.

in math

but i wonder why asian countries are so intent on turning their students into walking calculators?

its not a matter of wow they are so much smarter than us. It's why the hell are they raising the standards of education that should be similar no matter what country you go to. Highschool math should be highschool math whether you study in asian or europe or north america, there are reasons for these standards. How is it fair to students in other countries once you start raising your own bar?

 

[DJShadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne /img/forum/go_quote.gif in math but i wonder why asian countries are so intent on turning their students into walking calculators? its not a matter of wow they are so much smarter than us. It's why the hell are they raising the standards of education that should be similar no matter what country you go to. Highschool math should be highschool math whether you study in asian or europe or north america, there are reasons for these standards. How is it fair to students in other countries once you start raising your own bar?

Then how would countries compete on the educational/intellectual level? To me its like saying Cambridge should have similar entry requirements to UCE (a sh1t uni).

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Lemme try! (I have no special math training beyond highschool geometry). The figure is basically a 3D kite. AB & AD (the short sides). We know the lenght from C to D is twice as long as the kite is deep. (I had to wiki 'Math symbol' as I forgot what the 'perpendicular' symbol was).

(i). BD and A1C are NOT perpendicular. Lines between the points will never contact each other and never form an angle.

(ii). 90 degrees. The length of CD (or BC) is irrelevant. Just drawing strait lines across the 'kite' will give you a perfect 'X'. Since half an square is a mirror to itself, you get 90 degrees.

(iii). no clue.

 

[pne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJShadow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then how would countries compete on the educational/intellectual level? To me its like saying Cambridge should have similar entry requirements to UCE (a sh1t uni).

there is a difference in math competitions, where participants are gifted individuals often pursue math on their own time, versus a school cirriculum in which all schools should adhere to, to maintain a standard. Forcing your students to learn higher level math in public schools in order to "compete" with other countries? What's the point?

If students are learning university level pure math in highschool, then what is the point of the university? Why stop there, why not force highschool math onto middle school kids? Calculus to elementry schools? All you're doing is shifting the age at which kids learn the math. It's like forcing a young child to start taking steriods and lifting weights to prepare for his future career as a body builder.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock&Roll Ninja /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lemme try! (I have no special math training beyond highschool geometry). The figure is basically a 3D kite. AB & AD (the short sides). We know the lenght from C to D is twice as long as the kite is deep. (I had to wiki 'Math symbol' as I forgot what the 'perpendicular' symbol was). (i). BD and A1C are NOT perpendicular. Lines between the points will never contact each other and never form an angle. (ii). 90 degrees. The length of CD (or BC) is irrelevant. Just drawing strait lines across the 'kite' will give you a perfect 'X'. Since half an square is a mirror to itself, you get 90 degrees. (iii). no clue.

i wish i remembered enough math to answer your question. Maybe someone else will post the answer or chime in.
(i) i assume you have to project A1C onto the ABCD plane to get AC, and by some math proof since the projection and BC are perp, then A1C is also perp.
(ii) find plane normals to both planes and use dot product? to find the angle between them
(iii) same method as 2 given two lines

 

[K2Grey]

This first problem is very interesting (didn't bother to try and solve it though), however I'm not sure how it's really relevant to ability to do things in university. Granted the second problem can have its relevance disputed, but it comes up more often than the first problem by far.

 

[clc220]

the reason China does this is because the population is too big and the country can't afford to take in so much university students, so it bumps up the education level pre univeristy. that way the population has a high level of education even without a degree.

 

[trains are bad]

Quote:

Calculus to elementry schools?

Why not? I always thought they should.

 

[RYCeT]

High School in US is so easy.

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne /img/forum/go_quote.gif there is a difference in math competitions, where participants are gifted individuals often pursue math on their own time, versus a school cirriculum in which all schools should adhere to, to maintain a standard. Forcing your students to learn higher level math in public schools in order to "compete" with other countries? What's the point? If students are learning university level pure math in highschool, then what is the point of the university? Why stop there, why not force highschool math onto middle school kids? Calculus to elementry schools? All you're doing is shifting the age at which kids learn the math. It's like forcing a young child to start taking steriods and lifting weights to prepare for his future career as a body builder. i wish i remembered enough math to answer your question. Maybe someone else will post the answer or chime in. (i) i assume you have to project A1C onto the ABCD plane to get AC, and by some math proof since the projection and BC are perp, then A1C is also perp. (ii) find plane normals to both planes and use dot product? to find the angle between them (iii) same method as 2 given two lines

who says high school math is MEANT for high school and university level math IS university level math? I dont really understand what you're talking about. I dont think any country is training their children to win in world competitions. If that was true, then there would be competitions that were based on the entire populations. Theres a reason why the US doesnt do that bad in math competitions, there are a lot of smart kids here, I'm just saying that the smart kids are way smarter then the average kid, while in other countries, the difference between the super smart kid and the "average" kid is much smaller, which is what it should be IMO.

and its not at all similar to kids taking steroids. Children's bodies werent meant to take that sort of stress at that age, but children's minds are developed enough at that age so they can do "high" level math and other subjects.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the difference between the super smart kid and the "average" kid is much smaller, which is what it should be IMO.

It'd be nice for everyone to be smart, but you just can't undo all the pesky genetic material

Should the average child be forced to memorize mathematical formula, knowing full well less than 1% of the population will ever have the opportunity to use said forumula (I don't think knowing how to figure-out the perpendicularness of any abstract points on an imaginary grid with unknown distances was ever a life-or-death scenario. Suffice to say nobody will ever NEED to know the mathematical formulas required for Chinese math)? Especially since so many people are completely clueless as to how math that will effect their lives is understood (like fluxuating credit card intrest rates).

In summary; 99:100 humans will only need to be able to add, subtract, multiply, divide, know a decimal to the hundredth place, measure in fractions, and calculate an approximate percentage. Any "higher math" is real a gigantic waste of taxpayer money, time, and resources that should be spent teaching children other subjects. Like learning how to speak in proper sentences. LOL OMG TGIF YMMV!

 

[trains are bad]

Except there is no such thing as proper sentences, and I think it's a total waste of money to spend ANY time teaching children their own native language.