Simple Arithmetic........

[ToraToraTora]

https://news.sky.com/story/never-mind-a-levels-can-you-pass-these-10-gcse-maths-questions-12779453
...how did you do? Be honest!

[Ellipsis]

They give four cards, with a number on each card: 5, 7, 8 and 1.

They ask: what is the smallest odd number you can make using all four of these cards?

I think the question is obvious but, if you're not sure, the link provides the answer later.

[New Judge]

//The 1952 O level was harder .//

My "Eleven-Plus" was harder - considerably harder.

//I used a calculator...//

What on earth did you need a calculator for, Zacs?

[zebo]

//asking questions that aren't clear was was meant,//

All the queations were well written and clear.
I got them all though the petrol one I did a side answer of 'fingers crossed'!

[zebo]

//I used to get sick of thick teachers being that ambiguous when I was learning, I don't need to come across it yet again now.//

I got sick of thick pupils who couldn't follow simple instructions, thought I'd never come across them again.

The children doing this test will be familiar with the concept of making a number from a group of digits to match specific conditions.

[ToraToraTora]

OG: "Then read them again T³.

Q6 is utter rubbish. It fails to say what you have to do with the figures. Add them ? Multiply them ? Stick them up your ... jumper ? Surely they don't mean simply order them as a 4 digit number ?

I used to get sick of thick teachers being that ambiguous when I was learning, I don't need to come across it yet again now. "
Q6 //What is the smallest odd number you can make using all four of these cards?"// - That's pretty clear to me that's the easiest of the lot, what else does it mean? arrange the 4 cards so that the number is odd and it's the smallest possible using all of the cards, that's about as unambiguous as it gets.

[ToraToraTora]

^^^ to help you it actually draws the numbers on to cards!

[ToraToraTora]

TBF though on the overall point I agree with those above, this should be related to aptitude. It would be folly to force all the kids to do it when clearly they are not all going to have the aptitude. Even though GCSE is much simpler that the old O'Level (GCE) there is no way these are GCSE questions. Primary School at the most.

[vulcan42]

It does say using the four cards so if you put the 57 over the 81 you get a fairly small number.

[ToraToraTora]

There are no arithmetic operators vulcan.

[bednobs]

i did okish (are u allowed to use a calculator?)
in any case my 11 YO is completing her SATS next month and brought a paper home to practice in the holidays ... these questions are at a much lower level than that, so not even yr 6 level, never mind GCSE level