It is sometimes difficult not to make a sweeping statement – but there could be a faint chance that one or two mothers and fathers may feel a little worried about the challenge of eleven plus mathematics. There are some dread eleven plus words that may quicken the pulse:
“But we don’t do it like that at school.”
Add 472 + 345
Method 1
400 + 70 + 2
300 + 40 + 5
700 + 110 + 7 = 817
Method 2
472
345
700
110
5
817
Method 3
472
345
817
It should be easy for your eleven plus child to explain these addition methods to you. All parents have to do is keep an open mind.
But how is the family going to work together on this emerging mathematical exercise? Answering the question on folding paper is quite `eleven plus’ easy. The problem comes later when different members of the family become involved.
A piece of paper is folded in half. It can then be folded in half again. There are now four thicknesses of paper. Complete the table:
| Number of Folds | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Thicknesses of paper | 2 | 4 | | | |
How many thicknesses are there after ten folds?
The family now become involved:
“What a silly question. How can you fold a piece of paper ten times?”
“Well I saw it on T.V. We also discussed it in my A Level maths class. There is an equation."
“I don’t believe you.”
“Now children – we can work together nicely.”
“But mum. It can’t be done with that A4 sheet of paper. It won’t fold.”
“I hate the eleven plus. We are always fighting over answers. Anyway I am going to ask my teacher. My teacher will be able to work out more than one way of solving this problem.”
“In my day we didn’t do questions like this.”
“But you add up differently to the way my teacher teaches.”
(Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother, Older Sister and Younger Brother all retire gracefully leaving the Eleven Plus candidate to muse on the inconsistency of man.)
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