Pointless
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Approach:  Independent
ACCESS
Level: Year 8
Focus: Number knowledge/estimation  
Resources:
Answer booklet
217kb
Questions/instructions:  

A boy used a calculator to work out some number problems.
There is something wrong with his calculator. It doesn’t show the decimal point.
For each problem, put the decimal point where you think it should go. Make sure your decimal point is easy to read.

% responses
2009 ('05)
y4
y8
   
26 ÷ 5 = 5.2   89 (85)
   
1.5 × 7 = 10.5   78 (74)
   
753 ÷ 19 = 39.631579   39 (37)
   
211.4 × 196 = 41434.4   30 (30)

Total score:
4
  17 (18)
3 
   28 (23)
2
  36 (35)
1
  12 (15)
0   
7 (9)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 8
Commentary:
Overall, performance is very similar in 2005 and 2009. On average, Pasifika students scored substantially lower than Pakeha students. Estimation skills for computations involving larger numbers appear to be weak.