Maths question help please

[RockYourSocksOff]

Apologies in advance.

This will be incredibly easy for most of you.

I get that this is Bodmas but will the answer be a decimal?

2 squared x 5

2+(15-3)x4

So it comes out as 20 divided by 50 ??

You're right

0.4

Looks right. Simplifies to 2/5. Leave it at that, unless for some reason they want a decimal.

^^ agree.

Would you generally simplify it to 2/5 rather than a decimal first?

There’s no explanation about how this should be answered, just the question.

It was given as a fraction, so personally I'd leave it as a fraction and not try an extra step that might be done wrong.

Thanks Teen.

This is where my brain is wired differently.

I immediately look at this and use the bus stop division to try and work out the answer than thinking of a fraction as the answer.

This is why I’m no good at helping Ds with his homework!

You know about BODMAS though, which is more that can be said for at least half of MN when a question gets asked on chat!

A decimal isn't wrong, but what would you have done if the faction were e.g. 2/7 (which is a recurring decimal)?

You’re too kind Teen.

I am hopeless at maths.

I don’t look at questions with ease, always dread.

I fear Ds is going the same way!

Don't tell your DS you are hopeless - it gives him an excuse.
Tell him you aren't as good as you would like to be because you weren't taught well, but he has great teachers so he'll get it.

Anyway you really aren't hopeless. If you published that question on Chat and said please give answers only no workings out or explanations, I suspect a high % would give the wrong answer.

A lot of maths is about confidence. Practice helps too.

You’re right Teen.

I always remain confident in front of Ds (after skimming through the questions first) and if he needs help I breeze through the answers with him. He doesn’t know that my feet are paddling furiously underneath the calm surface

Spot on with my education. Left high school in the mid 80’s and was left to struggle on in maths. The homework being brought home is bringing me out in a cold sweat and this is just Y7

Now I’ve got the solution to the original question on here he won’t have a clue that I was flapping.

Not sure how long I can keep up the pretence though

If you haven't already got one, buy yourself a CGP KS3 Maths guide or similar. I think they are quite well laid out and clear and might help you as things get trickier.

Generally with maths if they want a particular format they will say so e.g. Give your answer to 2 decimal places / answer as a fraction in its lowest form / give the answer in Km.

Thanks Teen.

Any help greatly appreciated. I’ll look into the KS3 Maths guide. I’ve got a few books and often check out The Khan Academy for help.

Thanks for taking the time to respond

There’s seems to be a few different guides, Teen.

Are there any in particular you’d recommend? Preferably with the answers in the back

I don't know re recommending. I have the CGP ones, but I use them for knowing the syllabus not for the explanations iyswim.

At GCSE level CGP do workbooks (in white) which have answers in the back (but they are questions only, not explaining). I don't know if they have similar for KS3.

Thank you.

I’ll order a couple and go from there.