[Maths-Education] Ratio and Proportion

[Candia Morgan]

>
>In response to my (somewhat in jest question) concerning the number 
>of vertices, edges and faces on a cone, Rosalie said:
>
>"But this one is a sweet question, provided you don't think about 
>answers as 'right' or 'wrong' but just ask students to give 
>convincing arguments for an answer. The student could back at us for 
>answering a question with a question; they could ask, "When?""
>
>I agree entirely.  My approach to such questions is to take them as 
>opportunities to investigate how mathematics has evolved as a human 
>enterprise (language) and how it really is not all that precise. 
>Although I see this as a valuable message for teachers and pupils, 
>it is not very well received.  I really can not blame them in this 
>time of large-scale testing.  They want to know what the "right" 
>answers are since on the test there is likely to be little 
>opportunity for the pupils to give convincing arguments for their 
>answers.
>

In that case, you are asking the wrong people - the designers of the 
tests and marking schemes will give the required answer and we can 
only guess what (sort of nonsense) that might be. Let us hope that 
giving 'approved' definitions of ratio and proportion doesn't start 
featuring in key stage tests here in the UK!
-- 
****************************************
Dr Candia Morgan                        tel:           (+44) 020 7612 6677
Mathematical Sciences               fax:           (+44) 020 7612 6686
Institute of Education               email:          temscrm@ioe.ac.uk
University of London
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London WC1H OAL