Stupid things written in exams/ Is it just mine?

[gillybeanz]

My dd has just done a maths exam, end of year Y8 and took the teachers advice literally To try, even if you don't know the answer.

When asked to draw a fraction tree, which she assures me she hadn't done before, drew a tree with a swing underneath it.

She does have learning difficulties, and wasn't trying to be obtrusive.

Well, I have a maths degree, and I'm struggling to think what a 'fraction tree' might be. It's great that she tried, but hopefully she didn't spend too much time on it.

I don't know and dh said he wouldn't have guessed either, but we all have problems iyswim
We aren't thick by any means but don't think in that way.

I guessed it was starting off with a whole one at the top than lines down to 2 halves, then lines down to then quarters etc.

I'm glad it wasn't so obvious then, I don't feel so disappointed for dd now, not that i'd tell her, I did.

Could it have been a factor tree?
this won't work well due to formatting but eg
70
/

2 35
/

5 7

Or a probability tree diagram?

I'm sure she said fraction tree.
I will have to ask her teacher or SENCO.

They are great but I like to get in with misunderstandings as previously in another school she was in trouble for trying to be big, clever, funny and obtrusive.

You've got me thinking now.

I remember lots of exams with pages on that said 'this page is blank' or something and I astutely irritatingly just to write that it wasn't because they'd written on it to say it was blank.

Argh! Used to write...

twee

Did you get any marks for thi, or better still any comment?

DS says he's heard of them. I've not (but his maths is a zillion times better than mine). I love the idea of a nice picture of a tree.

As an examiner you really do got all sorts of bizzare responses. Once in A level geography a student wrote a 'family' tree for Harry Potter, plotting the future book plot..... oddly very close

I'm a maths teacher and I've never heard of a fraction tree! I expect it was actually factor tree as mentioned above. I usually have a smile at silly answers like that - though will tell them it's not appropriate for an exam too.

No idea what a fraction tree is!

Tree diagrams, yes.
Prime factor trees (or cherry trees) yes
Fraction trees no.

I like it when the kids draw pictures on the papers though, it makes the marking slightly less tedious!

Thanks noble, I'll get back to you when i find out what was asked.
I'm sure the answer wasn't drawing a tree with a swing
I do worry for her.

I like the Harry Potter tree, very inventive.
At least we know examiners and teachers understand these silly answers.

I have seen some funny ones on fb, where the child has just answered no when asked "can you xxx"

My husband's an academic and has done a lot of marking at home the last few weeks. Every so often there's an absolute corker.

Grass

Please, Please, ask him for some. Pretty please.

Gilly, these were formal exams so I didn't get the actual paper back but I didn't get any special awards or anything so I can only conclude that my intelligence was wasted on that occasion!