Math Confidence Newsletter
Volume 29
October 2011
In This Issue
Math Confidence Video
Recommended Reading
Raising Verbal SAT Scores
FAQ: Fuzzy Errors
Brain Teaser
 

Math Confidence Video    

Fuzzy Errors and Good Wrong Answers
Fuzzy Errors and Good Wrong Answers
Math Confidence Audio 
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Quote of the Month
"The more things you do, the more things you can do" - Lucille Ball
What is the purpose of education?  Social and emotional growth are important, however, this month's book discusses "limited learning on college campuses" and offers reforms to improve outcomes.  One way to boost scores and knowledge is developing study habits and a love of learning.  This month's video and FAQ topic is fuzzy errors -- mistakes that are due to a lack of focus rather than a lack of comprehension.
Recommended Reading 
Academically AdriftAuthors Arum and Roksa, sociologists at NYU and Virginia, surveyed college students about their study habits and administered the College Learning Assessment that measures critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing.  They found that most students did not show any significant growth during their first two years of college as students spend too few hours studying and too many hours socializing.  The CLA and the survey measure only reading and writing -- it would be great if they considered problem sets and exam prep in future surveys.  Reform ideas include "instilling a love of learning, an ability to think critically and communicate effectively and a willingness to embrace and assume adult responsibilities."

Chronicle of Higher Education article by Arum and Roksa 

NPR Interview with Richard Arum 

Academically Adrift Interview with Salon  

Josipa Roksa's University of Virginia page 

New York Times How Much Do College Students Learn and Study? 

How To Raise Verbal SAT Scores: NYT Letter 

In mid-September, the New York Times published an Op-Ed piece by E.D. Hirsch How to Stop the Drop in Verbal Scores that had some great ideas about early childhood education.  So why would a Math Lady be writing about Verbal scores?

This is an excerpt from Math Confidence's response as a letter in the New York Times: "My verbal score increased over 200 points from high school - partly from living a few more decades but mostly from cracking the books. Jack LaLanne got us to exercise our bodies; now it is time to exercise our minds."

Upon retaking the SAT in 2009, I had to study verbal for the first time in decades -- I used the The Official SAT Study Guide along with SAT Skills Insight for Reading, Math and Writing on the College Board web site.  In 2005, the Writing section of the SAT was added making the total possible score 2400 -- 800 for each section. This has skewed The SAT Question of the Day as there are now two verbal questions for every Math question.  

New York Times Letter to the Editor 9/26/11 

FAQ: What Are Fuzzy Errors?

How much is 2^0?  (2 to the zero power)  Answer 

People often get the incorrect answer due to a lack of focus rather than a lack of understanding.   Some common topics that illustrate this idea are: Area vs Perimeter, Exponent Rules, the word "NOT"

and the ubiquitous minus sign mistake.

One excellent way to reduce fuzzy errors is to study multiple choice items that have tempting good wrong answers."Is that your final answer?" is a way to help raise awareness and critical thinking -- it would be great if "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" had an Algebra version!

Multiple Choice Exam Construction includes Distractors 

Math Confidence Blog on Fuzzy Errors 

If you have a question that you would like featured, please send an email to Robin.

Brain Teaser 
Numbers thru FunnelIf you use only a 5-liter bowl and a 3-liter bowl and have unlimited access to water, how would you get exactly 4 liters of water in the 5-liter bowl? 

 

Answer to September's Brain Teaser: 3 

September 2011 Brain Teaser Solution

Thanks for reading!  How can we make this newsletter better?  Please send comments and suggestions to Robin mathconfidence@aol.com 
Sincerely,

 

Robin "the Math Lady" Schwartz
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