Bad English? Simple Grade 1 Math!

[VanIsleKnight]

So at the risk of being perceived as an utter fool for the rest of existence, I can't safely work out this problem. Mostly because I don't know exactly what the problem wants specifically.

Ways to Make 15

Show different ways to make 15
Make equal groups without singles.
Make equal groups with singles.



I get that they want me to make 15 (14+1, 13+2, 5+5+5 etc)

But I'm tripped up by the underlined parts. What do they mean by "equal groups" and "singles"? Are singles 1 through 9? Is this a failed attempt by someone trying to be clever with words, or is this a failed attempt by me to understand a Grade 1 question that 6 year olds can answer?

:smalleek:

[potatocubed]

This question is a mess.

Step 1. Remove the word 'equal' from the underlined segments. By definition all groups that add up to 15 will be equal.

Step 2. Blaaaaarg. 'Single' can't mean 1-9, because all ways of making 15 out of 2 or more numbers require at least one of those digits. It might mean 'number on its own', such as '5 + 5 + 2 + 3' where the 2 and 3 are singles. It might mean 'make 15 with no numerical duplication', which means '6 + 5 + 4' and variations thereof.

Honestly, I think your best bet is to ask the teacher in question.

[Vmag]

Ways to Make 15

Show different ways to make 15
Make equal groups without singles.
Make equal groups with singles.
:smalleek:

(5+5+5) (3+3+3+3+3)
(10+5) (9+6) (7+8) (3+12)

Yeah, that Does seem to be the only way to make sense of the question. Sometimes, you just have to not stress it, take a stab, and run with it.

There's a lot to be said about making the same mistake each and every time. If you worry too much, and try to mix it up, then you just end up with a mess.

[Mr. Mud]

Is this a worksheet the problem is on? Questions from a textbook? If you have the textbook handy, I'd check the back of the book for answers? Bittinger Ellenbogen books do something like that. I'm sure a few other publiushers have the answers in the back.

[snoopy13a]

I would guess the answer is:

3,3,3,3,3

AND

5,5,5

Why?

You need "equal" groups. This implies the same number.

You can't have "singles". This takes away ones.

Thus, 3 and 5 are the right answers.

[VanIsleKnight]

Well, I'll pass this on then. The question is actually for my little sister :D I chuckled at first because my mom asked me to take a look at it, and I'm all "pfft, it's Grade 1!"

The book is a workbook, so no answers in the back. They (parents) were just going to ask the teacher anyways, but I wanted to see if we were just being completely dumb. =)

[Knaight]

I don't even know what they are going for. But if it is no single digit numbers, then maybe you are allowed to use subtraction?

[evnafets]

With and without singles be referring to having a remainder at the end.

So without singles would be 3 groups of 5
With singles for instance could be 2 groups of 7, with one left over.

maybe I'm stretching...

The context should come from the book. If the question is asked in terms of "singles" then you should be able to work out what singles means from the textbook. Is there more in the workbook to give a context? Or an accompanying textbook?

[Jalor]

Ways to Make 15

Show different ways to make 15
Make equal groups without singles.
Make equal groups with singles.
Do they actually teach children with this garbage? No wonder so many kids are illiterate; we're teaching them to read and write like this. "Ways to make 15"? I think the average six-year-old can understand "add" and "subtract".

[Tirian]

Here you are. (http://tinyurl.com/yc3gym9)

"Singles" are the remainder from division. So if you divide 15 cubes into piles of four cubes, you will have three piles and three single cubes remaining, and putting them into piles of three gives no singles.