I’d like to share with you a funny incident this morning with Joni.Joni had this question in his homework, translated below
In a pen there were initially 192 birds, chickens and ducks. For every 10 chickens there were 6 ducks. 92 birds were then removed and now for every 6 chickens there are 4 ducks. How many chickens and how many ducks were removed? So, I set out to help him solve it.
I have to admit I haven’t done ratios since school so it taxed me a bit but then I got there. I decided to work it through with Joni and we arrived at the answers. However, I lost him along the way. The following conversation then took place:
Joni: It doesn’t matter that I don’t understand it I have the answers so I’ll just submit them.
Me: Yes it does because the whole purpose is that you learn maths not just provide the answers.
(conversation continued for a few minutes)
Me: Actually Joni, you cannot simply go ahead and submit the answers. It’s not possible
Joni: Why not?
Me: Because in the time we’ve been discussing it you’ve forgotten the answers.
Joni: (pauses) Oh yeah!
Martin.