Wicked 3rd grade math problem.

[TheVez2]

My son's teacher put the following on the board. He wrote the first line and asked if anyone knew what it was. Then he wrote the second line and said it was a clue. Then the third. Since nobody knew he said to take it home to see if their family could help. I'm stumped. Any ideas?

 

[lowcountry_sc]

I have been staring at this for about three minutes. I'm not smart enough to figure out, nor am I smart enough to admit defeat...

 

[PFP_Dad]

I tried drawing it out and combining the formulas but didn't get an answer. Also tried adding up the angles and counting the sides, nothing so far.

 

[the_edski]

I'm a math minor and I gave up after 90 seconds!

I have been staring at this for about three minutes. I'm not smart enough to figure out, nor am I smart enough to admit defeat...

 

[TheVez2]

I tried drawing it out and combining the formulas but didn't get an answer. Also tried adding up the angles and counting the sides, nothing so far.

Yeah, I tried all that too!

 

[lowcountry_sc]

every time I think I have it, NOPE... how reliable is your son at transcribing math problems?

 

[Toothpick]

i have a 5th grade math level and still can't figure it out.

 

[TheVez2]

Ha! No promises there, but he's usually pretty good.

 

[dpm802]

... how reliable is your son at transcribing math problems?

+1 ... I think there is an error in the middle symbol of the second line.

The symbol that he wrote down like an "L" should look like a "J".

Make this small change and it all makes sense.

 

[JellyFox]

Are you sure your son's teacher isn't playing a prank on the class?

 

[lowcountry_sc]

I can't help but think that there's no way it's too elaborate; after all it is a 3rd grade math class. Which means the answer is simple. I've exhausted about all the simple answers I can come up with, and none ring true throughout. Which means either A.) I'm missing something painfully simple B.) The answer has nothing to do with math, or at least isn't comprised entirely of math C.) Your son either wrote it down wrong (unlikely, given how simple the shapes are and based on what you said) or the math teacher is trying to teach some abstract concept about math.

Unfortunately, I still have no clue! Please keep us posted...

 

[TheVez2]

+1 ... I think there is an error in the middle symbol of the second line.

The symbol that he wrote down like an "L" should look like a "J".

Make this small change and it all makes sense.

It does?

 

[the_edski]

I concur. An explanation of "makes sense" would be lovely!

It does?

 

[TheVez2]

Not that any of it makes any sense to me, but what really trips me up is the fact that somebody should have known what it was from the first line. The other lines were introduced later as additional clues. That pretty much eliminates the need to try to combine or simplify the lines.

My son also said the teacher would be surprised if more than two of the students returned with the answer. But he has given this problem to his classes in the past.

 

[Rockminer]

Seems like some sort of stick problem. Moving the sticks to make something. That's all I can think of.

 

[dpm802]

OK ... here's the answer:

Spoiler

Draw a Tic-Tac-Toe grid. Label the boxes 1-2-3 across the top. 4-5-6 in the middle. 7-8-9 along the bottom.

NOW do you see why it makes sense? (Assuming you correct the one errant symbol in the exact middle.)

 

[SinnerinRehab]

At first glance sir, you are a very smart 3rd grader...

 

[lowcountry_sc]

nice, dpm. Works for me, but I'm not satisfied until he comes home from school tomorrow.

 

[TheVez2]

Ah, thank you sir! The funny thing is, one of the first things I did was replace the symbols in the first line with 1+2=3. But even if the middle symbol had been right, I still didn't have enough to fill out the rest without knowing why they were those numbers.

 

[smalltank]

2+3=5
3+2=5
3+3=6

*crosees fingers n toes its all correct*