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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Many are innumerate because they cannot connect math to:
(a) Anything important.
(b) Abstract concepts.
(c) Daily living.
(d) Personal experience.

2. Who cannot teach simple math to students?
(a) Elementary school teacher.
(b) Calculus professor.
(c) Peers.
(d) Parents.

3. The author mentions sagas from which country?
(a) Norway.
(b) Sweden.
(c) Greece.
(d) Iceland.

4. The situation for mathematically uneducated high school students is:
(a) Critical.
(b) A fact of life.
(c) Inexcusable.
(d) Sad.

5. Which other country is mentioned?
(a) Sweden.
(b) Canada.
(c) Norway.
(d) Greenland.

6. What is a student's last chance to learn math?
(a) College.
(b) Middle school.
(c) On the job.
(d) High school.

7. What do people often use to rationalize things?
(a) Psychoanalysis.
(b) Escape clause.
(c) Back talk.
(d) Reverse logic.

8. Math is ________.
(a) Abstract.
(b) Conclusive.
(c) Concrete.
(d) Finite.

9. Paulos states that some people believe _______.
(a) Calculators rule the world.
(b) No one cares how to calculate tax.
(c) Math is incomprehensible.
(d) 1 and 1 do not equal 2.

10. Paulos mentions which famous structure?
(a) Eiffel Tower.
(b) Sears Tower.
(c) Statue of Liberty.
(d) Empire State Building.

11. What famous doctor does Paulos consider to be an innumerate?
(a) Koop.
(b) Johnson.
(c) Freud.
(d) Salk.

12. Which of the following is mentioned as being highly affected by lack of estimating skills?
(a) Math teachers.
(b) Politicians.
(c) Scientists.
(d) Everyone.

13. What animal is referred to by the author?
(a) Giraffe.
(b) Monkey.
(c) Mouse.
(d) Tiger.

14. Things are often misused if they are ______.
(a) Oversimplified.
(b) Understated.
(c) Abstract.
(d) Mathematical.

15. Paulos believes that elementary schools lack ______ in their curriculum?
(a) Informal logic.
(b) Motivation.
(c) Algorithms.
(d) Follow through.

Short Answer Questions

1. In elementary school, math is rarely _______.

2. Which skill is used daily?

3. Paulos likes to debunk which of the following?

4. Which is not one of the algorithms mentioned?

5. How many days is a woman's cycle?

(see the answer keys)

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