A conversation with a student

[captainhairdo]

During my precalculus class yesterday, we had a review discussion about the midterm tomorrow. Here is a part of the conversation with one of my students.

Student: So, how much is the homework worth?

Me: The homework is worth twenty percent of your final grade. Each assignment is weighted equally in the grade.

Student: No, how much is each

Comments

[mr_geometry]

Heh. Students here like to ask "how many questions will there be?" (on a test; on a given topic, on a test; etc). I honestly don't understand the purpose of this question. Inevitably some students want fewer questions (shorter test) and other students want more questions (each one is less important). So no matter what you say, you can't win.

So I've been telling them there will be ONE question... with many parts.

[captainhairdo]

Something like that happened when they asked about the test. I told them anywhere from six to fifteen problems, but regardless, it should take about an hour and a half to finish. I don't think some of them were too happy.

[boyplankton]

You should have explained to him that he obviously doesn't have the skills to complete this course with an adequate grade, and that he should consider re-taking algebra or something.

[mr_geometry]

Yeah. That's kind of like "how well do I need to do on the final to get a C in this class?". Answer: First off, you need to be able to answer that question for yourself...

[captainhairdo]

I am SO going to use this next time!

[captainhairdo]

I really worry that it's the more fundamental problem of not being able to recognize that one has enough of the right information to be able to solve the problem, and instead accepting a meaningless respons that appears to answer it. Well, I guess they're about the same.