The teacher would be correct under the assumption that the two pizzas are the same area, but the student proposed that they were different sizes (Reasonability). For example, 4/6 of 15 (10) is more than 5/6 of 6 (5). The kid was right, the teacher wasn't.
Question asked how its possible not IF it's possible. He explained like the question requested. If it was my kid who'd got it wrong I'd complain to the teacher.
It's a reasonableness question. The point of those is to point out the most reasonable answer. Given how the question is worded the student's answer is correct and the teacher's isn't. Since the scenario included a fact "Marty ate more pizza than Luis." the only reasonable answer would be that Marty started off with more pizza.
If the statements made in the question are assumed to be true, then the student's assessment is correct, otherwise it is a mathematical and physical impossibility bordering on the paradoxical.
The only other way out is that the question lied.
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· 6 years ago
The fractions implied that they had pizzas that were in six portions.
Yes, but six portions doesn't mean it's equal. For example, 4/6 of 15 (10) is more than 5/6 of 6 (5), and considering the question explicitly said that Marty (the one with less fraction wise) ate MORE, you would have to assume that even though his fraction was less, the size and overall amount of pizza was more.
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· 6 years ago
The pizzas are assumed equal, if otherwise, would've been stated.
The question is about reasonableness, as it says in bold before the question. The question wants you to reasonably explain how 4/6 could be more than 5/6, and the kid said the only reasonable way that could be possible. If it stated that Marty's pizza was larger, the question would have been solved already. The question asks how it's possible, not IF it's possible. The teacher was wrong.
Its not really limited thinking it was probably just a mistake. The teacher likely didn't make the worksheet and didnt read the question properly, they then graded the answer on what they thought the question asked for. That's why the teachers answer doesn't make sense as a possible answer, but the teachers answer is based off what they thought the question asked, as they likely skimmed over it. The kids answer was right according to what the question really asked, but it was counted wrong likely because of a simple mistake, not because they are trying to limit this childs thinking.
That's a fair assumption to make, but that further raises the issue that the teacher doesn't actually understand the material and is blindly following a curricula.
Well I'm sure they understand the material it's just simple fractions, but they're probably just following the curriculum and are even too lazy to make their own worksheets. And apparently too lazy to read them thoroughly before giving it to their students as well.
Proper response is give the kid points for CORRECTLY ANSWERING THE QUESTION AS WORDED and then change the wording to prevent that in the future. If I was the kids parent, I would make sure that happened.
Of course, the teacher probably didn't make the worksheet and misread what the question was actually asking. I don't think they intentionally counted it wrong just because it wasn't "their answer", but counted it wrong because they skimmed the question and thought it asked for something else. I bet if it was brought to their attention they'd give the kid points, heck I'd give him extra credit for paying more attention to the question than i did!
If the statements made in the question are assumed to be true, then the student's assessment is correct, otherwise it is a mathematical and physical impossibility bordering on the paradoxical.
The only other way out is that the question lied.