Error/Ambiguity on Math 1 Subject Test

Test Preparation
1

<p>Did any one else notice the error on the question involving finding the distance between two midpoints? I tried to re-write it as best as I could here:</p>

<p>[Link removed by a moderator. Hosting site not approved]</p>

<p>I already wrote a letter to College Board, hopefully they will remove it. I would appreciate it if other people who saw the same error could also report it, it will help your score if it does get removed.</p>

<p>You can email college board at: <a href="mailto:satquestion@info.collegeboard.org">satquestion@info.collegeboard.org</a></p>

<p>Just include the test section (Math 1 subject test), the test question, which I posted above and then just say that the correct answer wasn't given as a solution.</p>

2

<p>Have other people noticed the error?</p>

<p>A test-taker error is more likely than TCB messing up a problem as simple as that. Perhaps you misread a detail (point for example), a question, or the answers.</p>

3

<p>Not that I know of, I think the problem is that not many people on this site take the Subject Test in Math 1, also for the ones that do I think its because there not that ‘familiar’ with mathematics in general so they probably just assume they screwed up instead of realizing that it was an error, it also happens to be the lowest scoring non language subject test on average. So I assume the people who take it aren’t always the most experienced to recognize an error in the test.</p>

4

<p>@boby642, I doubt it. Out of the thousands of people taking Math I on any given day, I’m sure many will spot the error.</p>

<p>The real question is, are you 100% sure you remembered/copied the question correctly? In the unlikely scenario CB screwed up, then shame on them. However they have messed up math problems in the past:
[Brain</a> teaser: rolling one quarter around another. Rotation vs. revolution.](<a href=“http://www.donaldsauter.com/rolling-circles.htm]Brain”>Brain teaser: rolling one quarter around another. Rotation vs. revolution.)</p>

5

<p>Yes, I am quite sure this is the case. Though I fear my request might not be given as much consideration as probably the other hundreds of kids disputing the ambiguity of questions on say the reading comprehension section of the SAT or some such non sense trying to claim its too vague or something. When in this case it was an actual error.</p>

6

<p>Well I’m fairly sure if multiple people submit “protests” for that specific problem, CB will investigate. If you’re the only one protesting the problem, you probably made a mistake.</p>

<p>Reminds me of a past National MATHCOUNTS problem: What is the maximum number of bags that can be used to hold 190 marbles, given that each bag contains at least one marble, and no two bags contain the same number of marbles.</p>

7

<p>Yea I hope, I re-read the problem like 10 times so I am almost absolutely sure there was an error. Also I don’t think any testing company would advertise that they made errors, still sort of shocking though so far I have never encountered an error.</p>

8

<p>I’ve encountered many errors in test prep books (a practice AP Calculus test from Kaplan had tons of unforgivable mistakes). I think I also encountered a mistake on an AMC 12 once (which is extremely rare).</p>

<p>I never saw an error on an SAT, although I was a little suspicious after seeing a math problem where I bubbled E) It cannot be determined, after reading the question five or so times. Turns out that indeed was the correct answer, and the only time I had seen that on the SAT.</p>

9

<p>boby642 – first of all, posting true test questions may not be the most prudent idea (see <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/642156-defy-college-boards-rules-your-own-risk.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/642156-defy-college-boards-rules-your-own-risk.html&lt;/a&gt;).
Second, if you still want to stick to your guns, you’ll have to repost your diagram with a link to a neutral hosting site.
And third, your data is not entirely correct - both in the question itself and in the answers’ choices.
I happen to have had some of this question’s numbers stored in my calculator’s memory, and they agree with one of the five CB answers.
Frankly, it’s a bit preposterous to suspect CB in not catching a simple typo in such a high profile test.</p>

<p>@MITer94 - “It cannot be determined …” is definitely not common, but not unheard of SAT answer.</p>

10

<p>@gcf101 I remember exactly - the diagram is accurate, the answers may be off slightly but the correct one was not there. I know for a fact that I copied the question and diagram exactly and that the answer was not on the test I spent 5 minutes on this one in particular after finishing all the other problems.</p>

11

<p>Can you suggest where I should post the image? There isn’t an option to upload images specifically on posts, so I didn’t know. Its hard to find a site that allows you to upload free images with out adds of some sort.</p>

12

<p>LOLWhat. Did I do that question wrong? I somehow got an answer loool</p>

13

<p>probably not wrong^</p>

14

<p>So If I got it wrong :frowning: , would it still be valid question to take off points?</p>

15

<p>^You mean you got the correct answer, but now it’s wrong? :)</p>

16

<p>

That’s quite a condescending view of your fellow Math 1 takers.</p>

17

<p>@ThatGuyOverThere, What answer did you get? Can you explain the question you saw and what you answered, I would greatly appreciate it.</p>

<p>Also @gcf I in no way claimed to be superior to other students taking the Math 1 subject test, I also think it is a fairly realistic idea that I have. Sense on average it is a fact that it’s the lowest scoring academic subject test, and the majority of people who take subject tests in mathematics take the Math 2 test instead. Also I was specifically referring to users on this site. I imagine others have reported the error, just that they don’t actively participate on this site. I will likely cancel the test anyway, since I don’t see the point in keeping a Math 1 score of 790 when the questions are incredibly easy.
So this test for other people just as much as it was for myself.</p>