Some Parents In England Were Stumped By This Math Question

[Chu Gai]

It appeared on standardized testing given to 6-7 year olds. Does it stump you?

There were some people on a train. 19 people get off the train at the first stop. 17 people get on the train. Now there are 63 people on the train. How many people were on the train to begin with?

 

[lovinthehd]

It appeared on standardized testing given to 6-7 year olds. Does it stump you?

There were some people on a train. 19 people get off the train at the first stop. 17 people get on the train. Now there are 63 people on the train. How many people were on the train to begin with?

You're kidding I hope...one example of where parents helping/commenting on math is not a good thing...

 

[rojo]

The answer to Chu Gai's question is

Spoiler

65.

Here's one that's a little tougher. Together, a bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

Spoiler

If you said $0.10, you'd be wrong! It's $0.05.

 

[fuzz092888]

The answer to Chu Gai's question is

Spoiler

65.

Here's one that's a little tougher. Together, a bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

Spoiler

If you said $0.10, you'd be wrong! It's $0.05.

No it's not you got Chu's question wrong.

 

[rojo]

No it's not you got Chu's question wrong.

Spoiler

x - 19 + 17 = 63
(x - 19 + 17) - 17 = 63 - 17 = 46
(x - 19) + 19 = 46 + 19 = 65
x = 65

Or in reverse...

Start with 65 people on the train. 2 fewer passengers board than those who disembark. Now there are 63 people on the train.

Sorry fuzz, I think you're mistaken.

 

[fuzz092888]

Spoiler

x - 19 + 17 = 63
(x - 19 + 17) - 17 = 63 - 17 = 46
(x - 19) + 19 = 46 + 19 = 65
x = 65

Or in reverse...

Start with 65 people on the train. 2 fewer passengers board than those who disembark. Now there are 63 people on the train.

Sorry fuzz, I think you're mistaken.

As a math teacher who knows the answer, I am not. The answer is the whole reason this problem is blowing up the Internet.

 

[Chu Gai]

It didn't seem like a particularly difficult question to get the correct answer although I don't think we had those type of questions when I was in first grade. It makes me wonder what kind of math problems first graders get around the world.

 

[markw]

No it's not you got Chu's question wrong.

Being a math teacher, rather than simply say rojo is wrong, please show your answer ...and the calculations used to drive it.

FWIW, my $$ is on 65 as well.

 

[fuzz092888]

Being a math teacher, rather than simply say rojo is wrong, please show your answer ...and the calculations used to drive it.

FWIW, my $$ is on 65 as well.

As a math teacher the goal is for you to figure it out not for me to give you the answer

 

[markw]

I think we should be concentrating more on STEM related subjects as opposed to playing word games.

thanks for your pm reply but I think an English major would be better suited to arrive at that answer.

either that, or this guy.

 

[rojo]

Oh, don't dump the fecal question on English majors. That question is garbage no matter who's expected to answer it. English majors be like:

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

No it's not you got Chu's question wrong.

Sorry Fuzz, but this doesn't make any sense to me:

I could see one could argue about train conductor etc... but above math doesn't make sense

 

[Chu Gai]

The accepted answer was 65. The train experienced a net loss of two passengers (we will neglect to add the 'migrants' from France attempting to hitch a ride on the top) giving us 63 passengers as the train left the first stop.

X - 19 + 17 = 63

 

[rojo]

Cool! What do I win?

 

[Steve81]

As a math teacher who knows the answer, I am not.

Depends on who you want to believe:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3580699/Can-solve-children-s-maths-puzzle-s-leaving-adults-baffled.html

The correct answer is in fact 65, which you arrive at by subtracting the 17 people who just boarded from the current number of passengers, 63, to get 46. Then you add the 19 passengers who got off to arrive at 65.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/08/people-are-getting-confused-over-this-simple-maths-problem-for-no-good-reason-5868518/

In short, the answer is 65, categorically. It’s just that we, and quite a few others, were left resoundingly scratching our heads.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/09/can-you-solve-the-simple-maths-exam-question-confusing-adults/

Ms Bloxham explained the question was posted on a ‘Parents against Primary Testing’ Facebook group where a member insisted the answer, according to the mark scheme, was 46. However, no evidence has been provided to back up this claim.

The best way to figure it out is to start by working backwards. You first have to minus the 17 people who got on the train from the 63, which equals 46. You then have to add the 19 who got off at the first stop, which equals 65. For 46 to be the correct answer, as stated by Ms Bloxham, you would have to ignore 19 as a red herring.

Emma Forbes argues: “The last line is very important, as it asks how many on the train to start off. “And that means that the 19 that get off at the first stop don't matter as that after the train started so basically 63-17=46.”

Poorly worded/ordered question if the official answer is 46.

 

[Cosmic Char]

The answer is clearly ZERO. There wasn't anyone on the train, as there was no train. This is a Matrix question. There really is no train. Once you accept that, the answer is obvious!

 

[Midwesthonky]

I go with 65. But then, I use logic. Logic seems in short supply.

My oldest was getting frustrated earlier this school year with some math technique they were teaching the kids. I finally stepped in...and couldn't figure out what the he!! they were trying to do. Taught her the old school method & the homework was done in 15 minutes after struggling for an hour.

Some of the ways they are trying to teach math today is pure hypothetical BS thought up by some PhD without any proof it works. Just like the way they taught spelling when I was in grade school. It sucked & created a bunch of kids that couldn't spell. Isn't not used anymore...

 

[Swerd]

I go with 65. But then, I use logic. Logic seems in short supply.

I agree completely.

I remember all too well trying to help my kids with math problems when they were in middle & high school. I knew right away how to solve the problems, but my methods didn't match the convoluted and difficult methods shown in their textbooks. I once had to read an entire chapter of the book because I was completely unfamiliar with the arbitrary and bizarre terms and definitions it used. It seems the new textbooks kept the old concepts but invented all new vocabulary just to be different from a previous textbook. What a scam!

I was bothered so much that I went to see my kid's math teachers. My son's math teacher understood the problem as he himself had struggled with it for some time. It was nonsense invented by 'Education' PhDs to sell new text books. At least he understood math.

My daughter's math teacher illustrated the real problem in a way I hadn't unexpected. She was really an English teacher, who was forced into teaching high school Algebra just so she could still have a job. She was usually one night ahead of her class as she taught the course. She also had great trouble understanding the text book's gobbledygook.

 

[KEW]

After Fuzz said 65 was not the correct answer, I started looking for different ways to spin the problem.
If you consider that the person who made the problem just wanted to be an ass and depart from normal word problem conventions, you could argue that we don't know that the 17 people got on at the same stop and what may have happened at other stops, leaving the problem unsolvable. In that case, the answer would likely be some:

There were some people on a train. 19 people get off the train at the first stop. 17 people get on the train. Now there are 63 people on the train. How many people were on the train to begin with?

Like I say, it is a lord helmet-ish way to present a question and generally just pisses off anyone who encounters the bull$hit problem, but it is undeniably a correct answer.

 

[Steve81]

Personally I like this one a bit better:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/internet-losing-mind-confusing-pizza-161300422.html?ref=gs

I suspect that teacher wouldn't have batted an eyelash at Nigel's amps going to 11.