Re: [Phys-L] Evaluation tests

[Bernard Cleyet <bernard@cleyet.org>]

On 2013, Dec 16, , at 15:23, Robert Cohen <Robert.Cohen@po-box.esu.edu> wrote:

> We have found a very strong correlation between students passing this course with a C or better and our own survey, which is based partly on Jerome Epstein's "Basic Skills Diagnostic Test" (BSDT) and focuses a great deal on proportions and the meaning of algebraic letters (variable and unit abbreviations) vs. numbers.  The key is to ask as simple a question as possible that still reveals the weakness.  For example, without the help of a calculator, which is bigger: 25/27 or 15/17?


That’s hard for me.  I had to think:  2/17 is larger than 2/27.  Therefore, 15/17 is further from one than 25/27.   

Does everyone else just know it automatically?  Or is there another method?

bc fails in a timed test.