Are you smarter than a 14 year old?
Web has unearthed a recent maths SATs exam paper taken by ninth graders across the UK.
The teens take the tests, supervised by teachers to track their progress, before learning their GCSEs in 10th grade.
Following Rishi Sunak’s pledge to make math compulsory for all students under 18, adults shared number puzzles online this week to test themselves – Sky News presenter Anna Botting even asked for help with her 10-year-old’s math homework Daughter.
So, Web is asking…can you solve these 9th grade math exam questions – and don’t forget calculators aren’t allowed (answers at bottom of page)
Web challenges you to solve the same problems faced by 14-year-olds preparing for their ninth grade math exams
The Prime Minister last week unveiled his new plan that every schoolboy in England should learn some form of math by the age of 18 in a bid to combat the UK’s high numbers population.
Young people are required to take ‘some form’ of mathematics offered either through new courses or existing qualifications such as A-Levels, T-Levels and core mathematics.
While many have criticized this agenda, including actor Simon Pegg, some academic studies support it.
For example, a 2021 University of Oxford study found that dropping out of math studies at age 16 can impair brain development.
Another study found that those taking math at A-level had an 11 percent higher salary at age 33 than those who didn’t.
Mr Sunak promised to equip children for the “jobs of the future” by ensuring they have good math skills when they leave school.
For most, the ride will likely involve hands-on skills rather than algebra.
Around eight million adults in England have only the numeracy skills expected of primary school children, according to the government.
Only around half of 16 to 19-year-olds are currently studying mathematics in some form.
And 60 percent of disadvantaged students have no basic math skills by age 16.
The UK remains one of the few countries where children are not required to learn any form of mathematics until the age of 18.
Several countries in the OECD Economic Forum – including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Finland, Japan, Norway and the US – all insist that students keep the subject.
Young people are required to take ‘some form’ of mathematics offered either through new courses or existing qualifications such as A-Levels, T-Levels and core mathematics
However, union leaders have warned teachers are now more likely to go on strike amid backlash over the prime minister’s math promise.
Kevin Courtney, who oversees more than 300,000 educators as joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), accused Sunak of a “stunning failure” to recognize the obstacles the industry faces.
“Sunak’s plan is disappointing, not only because of its lack of realism but also because of its lack of vision,” said Mr. Courtney.
“It overlooks the increasingly detailed and urgent discussions about curriculum reform that are taking place across the education sector and even within his own party.
“Most of the people who voted will have voted. But I think there will be some people who will look at this and think, “Is that all they have to say about education?”
“It doesn’t sound like they’re taking the problem of the teacher recruitment crisis seriously because they’ve missed their math teacher recruitment targets every year for the past 11 years.”
Teachers currently voting say the plan cannot handle the recruitment crisis currently gripping the sector.
More than 500,000 teachers in three unions are considering possible strikes in England and Wales, with voting deadlines from January 9.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week announced his new plan that every schoolboy in England would learn some form of mathematics by the time they were 18. He is pictured today visiting Harris Academy in Battersea, south west London
Unions have urged staff to vote as soon as possible amid fears the postal chaos could delay the return of ballots.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have dismissed the initiative as “empty” – while the Tories have urged Mr Sunak to focus instead on tackling illegal immigration.
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the prime minister “needs to show his work” as “he can’t keep this warmed-up, empty promise without more math teachers”.
She added: “Nevertheless, the government has failed to meet its target for new mathematics teachers year after year, and existing teachers are leaving in droves.”
A Labor source said: “In their desperation to ensure Sunak’s speech does not follow Keir’s speech, No 10 have revealed they have nothing to offer the country except… double math.
“As the health service collapses after 12 years of Tory rule, criminals terrorize the streets and working people worry about how their wages will last the month, the country has the right to ask: is this it?”
Former Cabinet Secretary John Redwood tweeted: “While the Prime Minister turns his attention to math classes, he should not forget his decision as the most pressing priority was to stop illegal migration.
“Parliament urgently needs to legislate on small boats and public services.”
Nigel Farage also chimed in, saying: “So Rishi Sunak’s big idea to save the nation is math up to the age of 18! How will quadratic equations help solve broken Britain?’