HIGHER LEVEL maths students who were frustrated in their efforts to find a solution to question 4(c) on last week's paper 2 may like to know that there was a problem with it.
As Mr Richard Walsh, a teacher in Abbey CBS in Tipperary town, noted, the isosceles triangle prq was described as having an angle prq equal to 120 and an angle pqr equal to 32 12'. Since angle qpr must be equal to angle pqr if it is an isosceles triangle, then this gives a total of 184 24' for the sum of the three angles. However, the sum of the three angles of a triangle is always 180.
"This is a very serious error," Mr Walsh said. "It is not just a misprint or a misinterpretation. It caused unnecessary frustration in a paper too packed to allow time to think." It may also have discouraged some from doing the question, which should be taken into account in marking, he said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the chief examiner was aware of the problem. He said allowances would be made if it caused problems for students who attempted the question.
