smooth wombat's Journal: Math whizzes ho!

I am not a math whiz. I can barely do differential algebra. However, to see why, at least, the Chinese are ahead of the U.S. and most other countries in the world when it comes to math, try out this example question from this BBC article to see how you compare.

This is just a sample question that entrants, not students, to university in China must deal with. Below it is a sample question from an English (non-U.S.) math test that first year university students must take.

Whoah

[Captain Splendid]

Now I know western educational values have sunk severely, but I call bullshit on the "question" supposedly set for UK university level. Granted, my maths and further maths A-levels were circa '92, but there's no way a UK university that does any science stuff would ask such a simple question. That's barely even O-level worthy.

Geometry

[Shadow Wrought]

Hell, its not even Math- its Geometry;-) I haven't used geometry for long enough that I can't answer the Chinese one (but could have in High School) without looking some things up, but I think the coutner example is a bit too low.

I could be wrong about part 1 but..

[plasmacutter]

This question looks like it requires knowledge of multiplanar triangular identities (which were not taught in my region of the US.. i believe calculus was the next level rather than higher levels of geometry in HS).

I can come close (but not close enough) to a proof using classic monoplanar triangular identities, but an explanation with only words would probably be more confusing than the problem itself. I'm sure with the proper identities it would be much simpler.

This seems like a rather unfair slight of h

Re:

[plasmacutter]

in part i you have to prove a right angle. in the case of the line segment requested, you also have to prove the plane it's on is at a right angle to the plane youre comparing it to.

without multiplanar trig identities this becomes a chicken and egg problem. in order to calculate angles for this proof you need at least 3 sides of one of the veritcal planes' triangles. in order to calculate a missing side you need an angle and 2 sides from one of the vertical planes' triangles. since they provide neither