poppet2   13 #1 Posted March 5, 2012 This is a sum for primary school children which millions of Adults couldn't get right. Can you? You have 3 parcels Parcels A and B together weigh the same as parcel C The three parcels weigh 800gms altogether Parcel A weighs 250gms How much does parcel C weigh?  ................................ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
steve68 Â Â 66 #2 Posted March 5, 2012 400gms...................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
hyper   10 #3 Posted March 5, 2012 so C is half the weight of the total of 800 = 400 why do we need the weight of A? or am I missing something?  This si the sort of problem displayed at my lad's secondary school, so i don't know why they say its for primary school. Primary school for Oxbridge potentials perhaps? Might have been more sensionalist if they said it was for mums & baby's classes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
rubydazzler   11 #4 Posted March 5, 2012 400gms......................That can't be right, can it? Because I would have said that as well, and I'm rubbish at maths. And if millions of adults can't get it right, why would we two be any different? No, it must be more complicated than that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
barleycorn   10 #5 Posted March 5, 2012 A + B = C and A = 250 so... (1) B - C = -250  A + B + C = 800 and A = 250 so... (2) B + C = 550  (2) - (1) B + C = 550 B - C = -250 - 2C = 800 C = 400 B = 150  jb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
truman   10 #6 Posted March 5, 2012 A+B+C=800 A+B=C  so C+C=800 C=400  Why do we need to know how much A weighs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
barleycorn   10 #7 Posted March 5, 2012 A+B+C=800 A+B=C  so C+C=800 C=400  Why do we need to know how much A weighs?  So that you can waste your doing doing it the long way like I did. D'oh.  jb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
steve68   66 #8 Posted March 5, 2012 A+B+C=800 A+B=C  so C+C=800 C=400  Why do we need to know how much A weighs?  You don't in my day you wouldn't have it would have been.....  You have 3 parcels Parcels A and B together weigh the same as parcel C The three parcels weigh 800gms altogether  How much does parcel C weigh?   even then we would have p'd ourselves at how easy that was:hihi: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
splodgeyAl   10 #9 Posted March 5, 2012 A+B+C=800 A+B=C  so C+C=800 C=400  Why do we need to know how much A weighs?  So that you can waste your doing doing it the long way like I did. D'oh. jb Indeed. Or maybe the problem with these so-called "elementary maths problems that adults can't do" is that the question is badly written that it confuses people? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
alchresearch   214 #10 Posted March 5, 2012 Indeed. Or maybe the problem with these so-called "elementary maths problems that adults can't do" is that the question is badly written that it confuses people?  I agree, the weight of parcel A clouded things a little for me. It's a meaningless fact in the equation, but I started to wonder if parcels A and B are the same size and weight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
spooky3 Â Â 10 #11 Posted March 5, 2012 Is this maths or English comprehension? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Phanerothyme   12 #12 Posted March 5, 2012 Is this maths or English comprehension?  Both.  Rarely in life do mathematical problems present themselves in algebraic notation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...