Math profs up in arms over Regents
Students take a math test at North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place. (June 17, 2010) Credit: Randee Daddona
The errors on the algebra 2/trigonometry Regents test are inexcusable [“A test in question,” News, June 29]. I often make errors when making up tests and answer sheets, but they are usually typographical. You would think errors in theory and concepts would be caught by independent proofreaders — unless, and this is what scares me, they did not know any better.
To be fair, errors have also appeared on SATs, but they were not blatant. Students could have graphed the inverse cosine function on their calculators in two seconds — so imagine the poor student who thought his calculator was lying.
Michael Brozinsky, Central Islip
Editor’s note: The writer is a math professor at Queensborough Community College.
I agree with other mathematicians consulted that Question 19 was flawed, with choice No. 3 being the “best” of a set of misleading answers. Yet I view the biggest problem as the multiple-choice aspect of the test.
This type of question encourages students to passively select an answer from previously worked out solutions, rather than have them design their own solution. A better question would have been to ask the students to sketch their own graph of the function, clearly indicating its domain and range.
Michael Steuer, Garden City
Editor’s note: The writer is the assistant chair of the math department at Nassau Community College.
The descent into madness in education continues. As reported by Newsday, the recent algebra 2/trigonometry Regents exam included a question for which none of the listed answers was correct. We must look at this situation in the context of recent “reform” efforts in education.
Next year, teachers will be evaluated on the basis of their students’ performance on a test that includes a mind-boggling error. What we should do is to evaluate the New York State Education Department with a solid “F” for their woeful performance in constructing the exam.
Michael Cohen, Hempstead
Editor’s note: The writer is an adjunct associate math professor at Hofstra University.
The confusion in Question 19 can be attributed to the notation used, lowercase c or uppercase C, when writing the abbreviation for cosine.
As noted in the state-approved textbook “Integrated Mathematics” by Edward P. Keenan and Ann X. Gantert, page 445, we use the capital C to distinguish the function with a limited range from the relation with an infinite range.
Answer No. 3 is correct because of the lowercase c notation.
Thomas Schwarz, Roslyn Heights
Editor’s note: The writer is a math tutor and teacher retired from Long Island City High School.
