Re: A weighty subject

[Arlyn DeBruyckere <arlynd@HUTCH.K12.MN.US>]

Marc Kossover wrote:

> Howdy-
>
> I fear adding to this topic.
>
> > From the PSAT given on Tuesday:
>
> -- start --
>
> 6. METER : DISTANCE ::
>
> (a) ounce : pound
> (b) gram : weight
> (c) container : liquid
> (d) size : height
> (e) boundary : periphery
>
> -- end --
>
> Since the test was just given, the answers have not been revealed. Still,
> I suspect the credited answer is B. Sigh. Why couldn't they have put "gram
> : mass"?
>
> Even worse is the question off our state's (Louisiana) science exam for
> 8th graders.
>
> -- start --
>
> 1. Elysa must find the weight of a rubber band for a science project.
> Which unit of measure should she use?
>
>   A. kilogram
>   B. hectogram
>   C. gram
>   D. milligram
>
> -- end --
>
> The credited answer is D -- milligram. I still don't know why.
> Disregarding the whole mass/weight issue, any of those would work. MKS
> says you use kilogram. That's what our school teaches. Milligrams would
> work, but since most rubber bands are in the 5 to 10 gram range, grams
> seems easier.
>
> Sigh, again.
>
> (Not sigh, sigh star sigh).
>
> ---
>
> Marc Kossover
> marck9@mail.idt.net

More than sigh*sigh, oscillation between anger, rage, fear, frustration and
sadness.  It is no wonder to me that our students have problems when we feed
them this kind of meaningless junk.  With your permission Marc, I'd like to
forward this to our state's scimath list.

--
Arlyn DeBruyckere
Hutchinson High School