Primary school teachers fail to pass basic maths exam
16 February 2010 by Editor
Do you know how to calculate a percentage, or the meaning of
product, multiple and factor, or how to convert celsius into
fahrenheit?
Those are the sort of basic maths operations that an 11-year-old
should be able to cope with. But many teachers might struggle.
A test comprising "27 straightforward maths questions" carried
out by 155 primary school teachers has revealed a "shocking lack
of mental arithmetic ability and basic maths knowledge".
Fewer than four out of 10 of those who sat the test - designed
for 11-year-olds - could calculate 2.1% of 400, and only a third
answered correctly that 1.4 divided by 0.1 was 14. Overall, four
out of ten scored 40% or below, only one got all the answers
correct and the average mark was 12 out of 27 or 45%.
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