RE: Math-challenged students

[Paul Smith]

FYI, there was a nice little article on the front page of today's NYTimes
about states backing off on mathematics competence exams for high school
students, in light of the high failure rates. The article included two
sample problems. I had two reactions -

1 - I would most certainly have had no problem answering the sample problems
when I was a high school senior, and math was definitely not my forte. 

2 - I'll bet that the success rates among my college students would be no
better than the poor success rates among high school students cited in the
article (well under 50% in each case). Probably worse, as a matter of fact. 

Paul Smith
Alverno College
Milwaukee