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0 pointsmrob9y ago0 comments

The task given was to solve an equation and to show how it was solved. The student did exactly that. Their answer is obviously correct and they deserve full marks for it.

If you want them to complete a different task you should ask them to do a different task. Eg. The question could be "show a general method for solving equations of the form "x^3=n", where n is any real number". Punishing people for obeying your instructions is a great way to make them hate you. I'm not surprised so many people hate math when it's taught in this way.

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yequalsx9y ago

A student solving the equation in the way the OP stated will likely fail the course. They are showing they don't understand the concepts. The student needs help.

They are unlikely to understand inverse functions when that topic is taught. They are unlikely to understand how to solve x^(2/5) = 7. Or x^(sqrt(2)) = 7. Probably they don't understand exponents.

The solution given is a huge red flag.

mrobOP9y ago

It's disgustingly arrogant to assume that. They are showing exactly the understanding needed to answer the question. They obeyed the instructions, and they paid good money to have that opportunity, but they are being punished despite doing exactly what was asked of them. Whether the instructor has the legal right to do this or not, it certainly feels like fraud.

If the question setter failed to set a good question, that's the question setter's fault, not the student's fault. Punishing the student for somebody else's mistake is injustice.

yequalsx9y ago

I've been teaching college algebra for 20 years. There is nothing arrogant in what I said. The student needs help and it is clear that this is so to anyone with experience teaching such courses. After many years and thousands of students I've developed an intuition on when a student needs help and when I don't need to worry about them.

If you had to bet a million dollars, based solely on the solution presented and knowing the course was college algebra, would you put the money on them passing or failing?

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0 pointsmrob9y ago0 comments

The task given was to solve an equation and to show how it was solved. The student did exactly that. Their answer is obviously correct and they deserve full marks for it.

0 comments

yequalsx9y ago

A student solving the equation in the way the OP stated will likely fail the course. They are showing they don't understand the concepts. The student needs help.

They are unlikely to understand inverse functions when that topic is taught. They are unlikely to understand how to solve x^(2/5) = 7. Or x^(sqrt(2)) = 7. Probably they don't understand exponents.

The solution given is a huge red flag.

mrobOP9y ago

If the question setter failed to set a good question, that's the question setter's fault, not the student's fault. Punishing the student for somebody else's mistake is injustice.

yequalsx9y ago

If you had to bet a million dollars, based solely on the solution presented and knowing the course was college algebra, would you put the money on them passing or failing?

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse