Matric Maths disaster looms

Wiehan said:
I don't think you're actually comprehending correctly. I'm not saying the methods weren't straightforward, I'm saying most people were not taught the exact step-for-step methods for *some* of the questions.

You don't *understand* the mindset of the average matric maths student and how we are taught. It doesn't matter how straightforward the questions is. If they are asked in a novel way, they might as well be impossible, because the curriculum absolutely fails to teach the masses how to think.
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True this. I thrived in maths only after someone managed to teach me the context of what I was doing instead of just methodically. Only then it came alive to me. I think ironically route type method learning rewards lack of imagination rather than intelligence.
 
Wiehan said:
I don't think you're actually comprehending correctly. I'm not saying the methods weren't straightforward, I'm saying most people were not taught the exact step-for-step methods for *some* of the questions.

You don't *understand* the mindset of the average matric maths student and how we are taught. It doesn't matter how straightforward the questions is. If they are asked in a novel way, they might as well be impossible, because the curriculum absolutely fails to teach the masses how to think.
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But the whole point of studying a subject like mathematics is to learn how to approach problems from different angles in order to solve them. If the curriculum isn't pushing pupils into a direction that forces them to think dynamically, then IMHO the curriculum is a failure.

If the mindset of a student is that questions should only be asked in a straightforward way, then what on earth are those students gonna do when they get to university. Studying a BSc or BEng, you see see mathematics all the way to 3rd and 4th year and with a "please spoon feed me" attitude like that, these guys won't make it very far at all.
 
UltimateWarez said:
no offence dude...but we weren't thought that stuff , so we would not know.

based on what we where thought , the paper was unfair.

I hate it when people say imagine if you wrote this and that...if we learnt it then wrote it , it would be a different story.
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When I wrote matric maths, there was always a question or two that was based on stuff outside of the syllabus.
 
DVD007 said:
Stop complaining and be glad that the standard is high. If people fail its because they are not ready to move on. Our economy needs people with strong math skills, not a couple hundred thousand that think they are good in maths and really don't no that 2+2=4.
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KNOW* FFS
 
Wiehan said:
I don't think you're actually comprehending correctly. I'm not saying the methods weren't straightforward, I'm saying most people were not taught the exact step-for-step methods for *some* of the questions.

You don't *understand* the mindset of the average matric maths student and how we are taught. It doesn't matter how straightforward the questions is. If they are asked in a novel way, they might as well be impossible, because the curriculum absolutely fails to teach the masses how to think.
Click to expand...

You cannot teach mathematics this way, having a step by step method for each problem is simply not feasible. Slight deviation from the norm and Kosie if fscked?

You have to understand mathematics (&science) in order to do well in it. Once you understand it it becomes easier & probably much more enjoyable as well.
 
UltimateWarez said:
no offence dude...but we weren't thought that stuff , so we would not know.

based on what we where thought , the paper was unfair.

I hate it when people say imagine if you wrote this and that...if we learnt it then wrote it , it would be a different story.

Sometimes its great to show humility...
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C'mon, drop the emo stuff. I'm not out to get you. Do they have emo classes these days as well as it seems to be rife amongst the young ones?

That paper barely passes as minimum benchmark in my book. The state of education seems to be in a downward spiral.
 
ponder said:
I wish I could dig up a 1990 HG maths & advanced maths (separate 7th subject you took) papers, you guys would seriously sheet yourselves.
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Yeah, I'd love to see an old paper. Everyone says standards have dropped (which I believe), but I'd like to see how far they have dropped.
 
Chris said:
Yeah, I'd love to see an old paper. Everyone says standards have dropped (which I believe), but I'd like to see how far they have dropped.
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I have no idea where to start looking. In those days there was not such things as PDF etc :o

I doubt the department of education would be helpful either.
 
UltimateWarez said:
we do financial mathematics...something that wasn't in the syllabus before.
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I noticed that...depreciation questions were never part of the maths syllabus before but that's a good thing. It's these concepts that are covered in accounting, maths and introductory finance courses in university so it's good that matriculants are being exposed to it beforehand. (albeit the VERY basics of financial maths)
 
feo said:
I noticed that...depreciation questions were never part of the maths syllabus before but that's a good thing. It's these concepts that are covered in accounting, maths and introductory finance courses in university so it's good that matriculants are being exposed to it beforehand. (albeit the VERY basics of financial maths)
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We did those in the early 90s.
 
The real problem here is that when I was doing high school maths my parents battled to help me because the standards and difficulty had increased since they had done maths at school.

Now it seems the reverse is true....
 
ponder said:
C'mon, drop the emo stuff. I'm not out to get you. Do they have emo classes these days as well as it seems to be rife amongst the young ones?

That paper barely passes as minimum benchmark in my book. The state of education seems to be in a downward spiral.
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First you apologize to the guy, then you attack him again, then you pound your internet chest in boastful cheer! You sir are in serious need of facial reconstruction! :D
 
UltimateWarez said:
we do financial mathematics...something that wasn't in the syllabus before.
Click to expand...

feo said:
I noticed that...depreciation questions were never part of the maths syllabus before but that's a good thing. It's these concepts that are covered in accounting, maths and introductory finance courses in university so it's good that matriculants are being exposed to it beforehand. (albeit the VERY basics of financial maths)
Click to expand...

PeterCH said:
We did those in the early 90s.
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Same, we did depreciation & compounded interest stuff in 1988 while I was in Std.8 (Grade 10) and not matric. We also had accountancy as a seperate subject.


saffakanera said:
First you apologize to the guy, then you attack him again, then you pound your internet chest in boastful cheer! You sir are in serious need of facial reconstruction! :D
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Ja, went off on a tangent there, no pun intended :D
 
Been getting easier since I wrote good old HG Maths back in 1999...
 
Wiehan said:
because the curriculum absolutely fails to teach the masses how to think.
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But that is nothing new. It was the same 25 years ago. You only learned more if you were lucky enough to get a good teacher or you had educated parents who could teach you beyond the rote learning at school.
 
feo said:
If the mindset of a student is that questions should only be asked in a straightforward way, then what on earth are those students gonna do when they get to university. Studying a BSc or BEng, you see see mathematics all the way to 3rd and 4th year and with a "please spoon feed me" attitude like that, these guys won't make it very far at all.
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The gap between school level and university level was bad 25 years ago. If it is bigger now there'll be even more problems.
 
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