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Re: Misconceptions assessments?



Is this decimate story true, I have heard it comes from a practice where the
Romans killed 10 men for every legionnaire murdered????

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard G. Cleyet & Nancy Ann Seese
[mailto:georgeann@REDSHIFT.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 12:54 PM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Misconceptions assessments?


Speaking of better wording:, some psychology and etymology: It is no
accident
that Jeffery picked 10%. Since at least roman times, morale deteriorates
when
10% battle casualties occur. Hence the term decimate means to kill a LARGE
part. So psychologically =/> 10% is equated to much .... Anyone have an
idea
of how the fact we have ten digits may complicate of supplement my
suggestion?

bc



Robert A Cohen wrote:

On Tue, 7 Nov 2000, Rondo JEFFERY wrote:

[snip]
A better wording would be "A. Yes, within a few percent..."
Then the other answers would give an indication of what "much closer"
means, like 10% or more.

Thank you for the better wording.

[snip]
And, in fact, none of the answers
actually gives *the* "main" reason for the seasons. The principal cause
of the seasons is the tilt of the earth's axis in space.

I was attempting, albeit poorly, to force people to provide an explanation
for why the tilt of the earth's axis in space is responsible for the
seasons. I've run across several people who state confidently that the
cause is the tilt but cannot explain why (or explain that the tilt causes
the hemisphere to be further in winter than in summer).

Effects
resulting from the tilt are things like answers C, D, and E, but also
include fewer hours of daylight each day in winter. So, any of these
answers could be considered as *partially* correct. (And students who
pick them would argue strongly for them! :-) )

Yes, others are partially correct. Any suggestions for how to rewrite the
question?

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| Robert Cohen Department of Physics |
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