PSLE maths questions stump pupils - Feedback Posted in The Straits Times Forum

Yes, this feedback by Mrs Piyali Roy was inline with the many feedback I received from my primary 6 students after their PSLE math paper.

Well, like I have mentioned prior to the PSLE examination, the trend observed from the many schools' math prelim paper showed that questions asked will no longer be testing their arithmetic skills only.

Let's look at one of the question asked (this is not the exact PSLE math question as I do not have the exact dimension and diagram)

2007 PSLE Math Question:

Tank A is filled with water to its brim.

Water is then poured from Tank A to Tank B till both shared the same height (see fig. 2).
What is this height?

This is an obvious "volume" question but many primary 6 students were 'frightened' by the way the question was being asked.

It looked so simple but yet, most students do not have the slightest clue where to begin!

Before we look at the solution, why not you all take out your pen and paper and start working on this.

(now, to be fair to those primary 6 students who sat for their PSLE, I want you to solve this question based on what a primary 6 child would know about the topic "Volume". In short, do not use what you have learned from your Secondary or Tertiary education to solve this question!)

Can you solve it? Was it easy to solve?
How long did you take to solve it?
What is your answer?


Actually, if one knows the concept well, we can solve this question EASILY by just applying the formula:

Height = Volume divide by Base Area

whereby Volume is the volume of water in Tank A, Base Area is the total base area of the 2 tanks!

Let's calculate:

Volume of water in Tank A = 50 x 40 x 60 = 120,000 cubic centimeters

Base Area of Tank A = 50 x 40 = 2000 square centimeters
Base Area of Tank B = 70 x 40 = 2800 square centimeters

Total Base Area of 2 tanks = 4800 square centimeters

Therefore, to find the height of water in both tanks,

height = 120,000 divide by 4,800 = 25cm


Answer: height = 25cm

So, did you get the same answer too?

I am proud of you if you did so, especially if you are a primary 6 child!

If you do have more of 2007 'tough' PSLE questions, I would appreciate if you could send them to norman@pslemath.com.

I will share with all my readers once I received your contribution.

Attention:

For parents whose child is in Primary 5, you would also like to visit www.pslemath.com to view the coming P5 Exam Preparation Prog I will be conducting this coming school holidays (PSLE marking days)