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New Math

This word problem was on Mallory's math homework last week:

Lesia has 32 stickers. Diana has a few stickers. Lesia adds their stickers. She has to regroup when she adds. How many stickers does Lesia have? Circle the number.
3
5
6
8


We puzzled til our puzzlers were sore, but we still couldn't figure out the answer. I wrote a note beside the problem: "Mrs. G., this problem didn't make sense to either Mallory or her parents."

The next day the paper came back with a note from Mrs. G. She circled the last line of the problem and wrote:

"Misprint! This should have said Diana."


Okay! Whew! I was relieved to know that I wasn't, in fact, dumber than a second grader.

Except then I realized that I still didn't understand how the answer could be 3, 5, 6, or 8.*

I can't wait til she gets to algebra.



*Unless what they're calling "regrouping" is what we used to call "carrying the ones." In which case the answer would be 8. I think. Maybe.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I think that the problem is poorly worded. And how is a second grader,or anyone else for that matter, supposed to know how many "few" is? I probably would have said 3 because to me 8 is not "few." Does this even make sense, or does anyone care!!

Mom
5:10 PM
Abbey said…
I agree with your mom! Bad question. However, being a former 2nd grade teacher I do know that "regrouping" is the new fancy word for carrying the ones. :)
6:46 PM
aimee said…
What?!? That is like those tricky math questions we had in jr high or high school to keep us busy. Not is 2nd grade.
9:44 AM
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