Maths teachers please help!!!

[user789653241]

My ds was doing some work books today. Question was to identify the 2d shapes. For square shape, he answered, square, rhombus, parallelogram and diamond. The answer on the book was obviously square. If it was a real test at school, how do you mark the answer?

He put all of those - there was a square, and he wrote "square, rhombus, parallelogram, diamond"? From me (disclaimer, not actually maths teacher) he gets full marks and maybe a comment "... rectangle, quadrilateral, polygon" :-)

A "diamond" is not a 2d shape.
Personally, I'd highlight the word square as correct, but wouldn't give the mark for it. However, that's because it would most likely get marked wrong on a SATs paper as well. I've just gone through that with my class and they know that they have to give one clear answer...not different ones, hoping that one is right. It depends on how the question is phrased, though.

Thank you for your comment, btdtgtts. I'm very new to this forum, and also a foreigner. I know his answer is kind of right, but I was very confused that I also know that expected answer was square.

thank you Minispringroll. The shape was on the workbook with pointed side on top, so maybe he was a bit confused. He loves maths, so sometimes he thinks too much, but I just didn't want to tell him he was wrong.

When a correct answer and an incorrect answer is given, then it is marked as incorrect.

A diamond is a 2D shape isn't it?

What is this:

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/

?

To clarify, he said rhombus has 4 equal sides and opposite sides are parallel and angles are equal, and parallelogram has parallel opposite sides, I thought he was not completely wrong in thinking this way. I am completely lost with diamond...

Secondary maths teacher here, and I like btd's answer. Not sure how it would be marked in sats though.

SweetAndFullOfGrace you've drawn a rhombus, a diamond is not a mathematical term for a 2 D shape.

I'm sure the 'correct' answer is square but a square is also a parallelogram and a rectangle!

It's really important for them to understand that a square remains a square, even when rotated.
Is he thinking of a kite or rhombus as a 'diamond' or just the rotated square?

It was a question testing whether he had been taught that a square is a square even on its point. I spend many a happy hour rotating large shapes on paper and asking children what they are. Most children when you rotate a square for the first time will call it a diamond until they are taught otherwise.

Thank you everyone. I think Justwhy is right. I got so confused because he gave me the reason why he thought square was not the only answer. By the way, this is not related to SATS. DS is yr2, so finished it before half term!

I assumed he would be in year 2. It's something they need to be taught. Diamond is a word learned from home too.

If it's not in a SATs test, then I'd mark it correct. Probably with a star or house point for the additional correct answers.

As it's not an actual test (which has very specific acceptable answers) I would ask which of his answers he wants me to mark and would accept square, rectangle, quadrilateral,parallelogram (if it is obviously square I wouldn't accept rhombus without making sure the child understands that a rhombus has equal parallel sides but not necessarily right angles)

OP . For your DS's info. Instead of diamond he should have put kite.

A kite is defined as a quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent sides having equal length.

As a rule of thumb, tell your DS to put the most defining answer. So a square is a rhombus, rectangle etc, but the word square defines all its features (length of sides, size of angles and parallelism), so he should put that.

Thank you again, everyone! I feel a bit smarter now! TeenAndTween, I've shown your reply to my ds, and he said he understood.