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Math Pop Quiz Stumps Teacher Union Head
Daily News ^ | December 28 | Erin Einhorn

Posted on 12/30/2006 9:36:31 AM PST by achilles2000

Math pop quiz stumps Randi

BY ERIN EINHORN DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Talk about a high-stakes test. The radio audience was live and the question for teachers union president Randi Weingarten involved sixth-grade math: "What's 1/3rd plus 1/4th?"...

Mike Pesca, who was filling in for Lehrer, introduced the show's education topic by saying American college grads can't do basic math while high school grads in Canada and middle-schoolers in India have no trouble.

After Weingarten stumbled, another guest quickly produced the correct answer: 7/12ths, leaving Weingarten to explain herself.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arithmetic; education; math; maths; nea; schools; teachersunions
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To: The Drowning Witch

You have to find the nearest number common to both. That is determined by multiplying the 3 by the 4 to get 12. Thus 1/3rd of 12 is 4, and 1/4th of 12 is 3. Add the 4 and the 3 and you get 7 12/ths.


41 posted on 12/30/2006 10:10:41 AM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: evad

LOL - Cat Ballou.


42 posted on 12/30/2006 10:11:51 AM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Old Professer

Zoiks - that is the first time I have seen it done THAT way. I like it!


43 posted on 12/30/2006 10:13:52 AM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: RavenATB

I was right, and you were wrong. LOL.


44 posted on 12/30/2006 10:14:06 AM PST by patton (Sanctimony frequently reaps its own reward.)
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To: Old Professer
Add the denominators and raise the sum over the product of the denominators, 1/3+1/4: 3+4=7; 3*4=12; move sum to top for 7/12. 1/2+1/3: 2+3=5; 2*3=6; 5/6 is the answer.

Yo Pro..

Try that one with 2/3 + 1/7

45 posted on 12/30/2006 10:14:21 AM PST by evad
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To: The Drowning Witch
1/3 = 1/3 x 4/4 = 4/12

1/4 = 1/4 x 3/3 = 3/12

4/12 + 3/12 = 7/12

46 posted on 12/30/2006 10:14:51 AM PST by TX Bluebonnet
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To: RavenATB

And this is the problem. There are way too many underwater basketweavers in education and they run the show. People teaching math in middle schools aren't often even certified in math.

And there are no lower standards in all of academia than primary school education. Not even sociology or even women's studies.

I know plenty of people on this thread say that they can't add fractions, but they aren't the chief educator of a major teacher's union. Every elementary school teacher is supposed to teach fractions. What is your kid enduring if his teacher has this level of knowledge?


47 posted on 12/30/2006 10:15:01 AM PST by AmishDude (It doesn't matter whom you vote for. It matters who takes office.)
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To: The Drowning Witch

Pinging you to the Professor's method - I like it!


48 posted on 12/30/2006 10:15:02 AM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: achilles2000
Whoa, let's not be too critical of Weingarten.
  1. Being the Union President likely she hasn't taught in school in years.
  2. Even then - teachers are not Degreed on all subjects.
  3. You have Math, English, History, etc.
  4. Then you have the specific Education 'Level' the teacher is Degreed for. Like Elementary K-3, 4-8 or Secondary (High School).
We have an ollllld friend who is a Teacher in Chicago and Degreed in Mathematics - she's a wiz; Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Physics and yes - even 2+2 (sarc). IIRC She even took Quantum Mechanics in college.

However, ask her about "1066" or "The Battle of Hastings" and you get a blank stare. I know more about History that she does. But that doesn't mean I'm smarter and would be a better teacher, or that she's a bad teacher.

Hell, how she even puts up with those little monsters is a miracle. I'd be in jail for battery.

49 posted on 12/30/2006 10:15:11 AM PST by Condor51 (Mayor Daley (D-Chi) For POTUS . Really, why not? He's more conservative than Rudy! /s)
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To: achilles2000

She is also a Democratic National Committee member.

50 posted on 12/30/2006 10:15:20 AM PST by kcvl
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To: achilles2000

Pathetic.


51 posted on 12/30/2006 10:16:28 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (The artist doesn't have to have all the answers; he must, however, ask the right questions honestly.)
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To: evad

"Try that one with 2/3 + 1/7"

Looks like 17/21 to me...


52 posted on 12/30/2006 10:16:38 AM PST by RavenATB (Patton was right...)
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To: AmishDude

She's not an educator. She's a union official.


53 posted on 12/30/2006 10:16:57 AM PST by durasell (!)
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To: durasell

She's their boss. That's even worse!


54 posted on 12/30/2006 10:17:38 AM PST by AmishDude (It doesn't matter whom you vote for. It matters who takes office.)
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To: The Drowning Witch
In all honesty, I don't remember how to add fractions like that either

Yes, but are you a member of the school system, let alone the president of a teachers union? No? Well then we won't hold it against you, BUT don't you think someone in our education system should be able to do this simple math question?

55 posted on 12/30/2006 10:17:58 AM PST by calex59
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To: achilles2000
But Kennedy is really good at adding fifths...hic

He's not very good at ADDING fifths, but he's Isaac Newton when it comes to taking them away ...

56 posted on 12/30/2006 10:18:54 AM PST by IronJack (=)
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To: The Drowning Witch
Regarding the Professor's method - oops - not so fast.

"Yo Pro..

Try that one with 2/3 + 1/7"

57 posted on 12/30/2006 10:19:29 AM PST by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Mr. Mojo

" Even if one doesn't know the answer by memory it's quite easy to add these two particular fractions the old-fashioned way in one's head."

I did it in my head. "4*3 is 12" That means we want 12ths. "1/3*4/4 is 4/12." "1/4*3/3 is 3/12." 4/12 + 3/12 = 7/12

Geeze. That was fifth or sixth grade stuff when I was a kid. No brainer.


58 posted on 12/30/2006 10:19:33 AM PST by No Truce With Kings (The opinions expressed are mine! Mine! MINE! All Mine!)
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To: Condor51

"Being the Union President likely she hasn't taught in school in years.
Even then - teachers are not Degreed on all subjects.
You have Math, English, History, etc.
Then you have the specific Education 'Level' the teacher is Degreed for. Like Elementary K-3, 4-8 or Secondary (High School)."

My bachelors degree (music) was awarded in 1979, and I haven't taught school since 1981. The problem is easy...even for me.


59 posted on 12/30/2006 10:20:21 AM PST by RavenATB (Patton was right...)
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To: AmishDude

She's their boss.






Not really. She's the head of the union. She pretty much has to do what the rank and file say. Her power, such as it is, comes from the control of tens of billions of dollars in the pension etc.


60 posted on 12/30/2006 10:21:06 AM PST by durasell (!)
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