Is there an ethical way to approach a math problem?
People worry about the ethics of gaming the test– strategies like using the answer choices to find the answers, guessing when there is not penalty, guessing carefully when there is a penalty. Standardized tests reflect your ability to be test savvy as much as they reflect your knowledge of a subject. Annoying? Unethical?
For example, why do we need to do all the work when we’re approaching math problems? Honor? Do we need to how all the work? If you can figure out an easy way to do the problem, doesn’t that indicate a sort of intelligence that is both creative and practical?
Let’s take this one:
n + 2/n = 9 + 2/9
If you notice that n and 9 are set as equals, its a ridiculously easy leap to the answer. If you want to show all your work, prepare to deal with an irksome little problem.
