3 ms·

I am pretty sure I would have passed the mathematics section at the conclusion of high school. These question are not particularly harder than the questions you

I am pretty sure I would have passed the mathematics section at the conclusion of high school. These question are not particularly harder than the questions you see in O/A level Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics, Further Mathematics exams.

DwnVoteHoneyPot 3y ago
Sure, how about the rest of the exam? Can't pass a few sections and fail the rest and expect to "pass". Also, what's your definition of passing the exam? Because passing probably isn't good enough. Probably a competitive exam with time pressure.
- tnecniv 3y ago
  OP did not say they would pass the exam. They said they would pass the math portion. Most of us wouldn’t pass this exam because even if we took Latin we probably didn’t take Greek. However if we were applying to Harvard in 1899, we probably would have studied that in addition to the mathematics portion. Talking about time pressure as a way to dismiss OP is disingenuous given they likely would have spent a significant portion of their time studying for the exam back then.
  - jakderrida 3y ago
    >Most of us wouldn’t pass this exam because even if we took Latin we probably didn’t take Greek. Even if we do know Latin, it's because we were raised Catholic and probably wouldn't be allowed to take the exam any more than a Jewish person. It's 1899 we're talking about. These pathetic superstitions were no doubt prevalent.
jhbadger 3y ago
Except for the part where they talk about doing mathematics with areas measured in square rods and feet. Not even Americans who know about feet know what a rod is (without Googling it).
- rft 3y ago
  Yeah, that was one of the parts I have no chance of solving. I assume back in the day and/or for Americans this would have been just as commonly used as ha or a, which I still vaguely remembered the definitions of. Can someone comment on the relative difficulty of the algebra and geometry/trig problems? I am far more confident in my algebra and found those problems fairly approachable, as in, I know how to tackle them, even if I am too lazy to actually do them. The geometry and trig problems are beyond my current knowledge, but I haven't used those skills in years at this point. I am also fascinated by the contrast between some skills being essentially irrelevant (Latin and Greek) and others being nearly the same (algebra and arithmetic) after a good century. I guess the mathematicians win this round of "relevance over time" :)

DwnVoteHoneyPot 3y ago

Sure, how about the rest of the exam? Can't pass a few sections and fail the rest and expect to "pass". Also, what's your definition of passing the exam? Because passing probably isn't good enough. Probably a competitive exam with time pressure.

tnecniv 3y ago
OP did not say they would pass the exam. They said they would pass the math portion. Most of us wouldn’t pass this exam because even if we took Latin we probably didn’t take Greek. However if we were applying to Harvard in 1899, we probably would have studied that in addition to the mathematics portion. Talking about time pressure as a way to dismiss OP is disingenuous given they likely would have spent a significant portion of their time studying for the exam back then.
- jakderrida 3y ago
  >Most of us wouldn’t pass this exam because even if we took Latin we probably didn’t take Greek. Even if we do know Latin, it's because we were raised Catholic and probably wouldn't be allowed to take the exam any more than a Jewish person. It's 1899 we're talking about. These pathetic superstitions were no doubt prevalent.

jhbadger 3y ago

Except for the part where they talk about doing mathematics with areas measured in square rods and feet. Not even Americans who know about feet know what a rod is (without Googling it).

rft 3y ago
Yeah, that was one of the parts I have no chance of solving. I assume back in the day and/or for Americans this would have been just as commonly used as ha or a, which I still vaguely remembered the definitions of. Can someone comment on the relative difficulty of the algebra and geometry/trig problems? I am far more confident in my algebra and found those problems fairly approachable, as in, I know how to tackle them, even if I am too lazy to actually do them. The geometry and trig problems are beyond my current knowledge, but I haven't used those skills in years at this point. I am also fascinated by the contrast between some skills being essentially irrelevant (Latin and Greek) and others being nearly the same (algebra and arithmetic) after a good century. I guess the mathematicians win this round of "relevance over time" :)