'I am lost'; Dad who majored in math is stumped by 2nd grader's Common Core math problem

thisistwitchy | 8:00 AM on October 01, 2014

It’s a day ending in “-day” and you all know what that means. That’s right: Another insane Common Core math problem!

Here’s one possible solution:

@NYSAPE @DianeRavitch I am lost. pic.twitter.com/hxsx6SLxlY

— CarmenDelessio (@carmendelessio) September 12, 2014

Is that the right answer? Who knows? As with many Common Core math problems, there doesn’t seem to be any single solution.

Watch as these adults struggle to figure out if the problem is incorrect, poorly phrased, or simply stupid:

.@carmendelessio @NYSAPE This is the junk. It is called decomposing numbers

— Carol Burris (@carolburris) September 12, 2014

@carmendelessio @NYSAPE I think sheet has an error. Just because my brain is confused, is it suppose to say _-5? Then I can see factors of 5

— Beth Brady (@BradyloBeth) September 12, 2014

@BradyloBeth @NYSAPE
I don't think so.
Break 15 into 10,5, and then work with 10.

— CarmenDelessio (@carmendelessio) September 12, 2014

@carmendelessio @NYSAPE I'm thinking 15-5=10, 10+1=11, thus 15-4 = 11, but that's not what they're looking for?

— Beth Brady (@BradyloBeth) September 12, 2014

@BradyloBeth @NYSAPE
I thought I had it for a moment, but no …
Tried
5-4=1.
10+1=11.
So, 15-4 =?
Subtraction is not Commutative

— CarmenDelessio (@carmendelessio) September 12, 2014

@carmendelessio @NYSAPE 15 is 14 & 1, 14 – 4 = 10, 10 + 1 = 11, 15 – 4 = 11. Should have been posed as 15-4, let child record their process

— Terry Hongell (@TerryHongell) September 12, 2014

@TerryHongell @NYSAPE
15 is 1000-985. 15 is -30+15.
15 is F in base 16
15 is 17 in base 8.
This is shit for a 2nd grader.

— CarmenDelessio (@carmendelessio) September 12, 2014