As kids grow up, their homework assignments become more complex. Sometimes, they receive questions that even leave parents scratching their heads. But thanks to the power of the internet, parents can turn to online communities like Reddit and Twitter for help. Here are some examples of mind-boggling homework questions and the interesting answers they received.
Grade 1 English
One mom was stumped by her first-grade son’s English homework. He had to circle the pictures that had the same ending sound as a fish’s fin. However, the options available didn’t seem to match at all. They included a hamburger bun, a frog, a jar lid, and a spoon.
Reddit users came to the rescue and explained that the ending sound didn’t have to rhyme with “fin.” They pointed out that both “bun” and “spoon” ended with an “n.” So, it was all about the ending sound, not the exact word that rhymed.
Kindergarten School Work
Kindergarten homework questions are usually easy, but sometimes they throw in a curveball. One parent couldn’t think of the three-letter word required to name a picture on the activity sheet. The picture showed a rabbit with her bunnies playing.
Thankfully, a helpful Reddit user suggested the perfect answer: pet. They explained that the worksheets often make the last question a bit tricky by switching the sound of the letter to the end of the word. This is done to challenge the child’s thinking.
Grade 3 Math Problem
Math problems for elementary students are usually straightforward. However, a grade 3 student had to solve a puzzling question: “Janell had 15 marbles. She lost some of them. How many does Janell have now?”
Reddit users found this question a bit unfair for someone in the third grade. Some suggested that the answer was less than 15, while others thought the student should respond in a similar manner as the question: “Janell lost her marbles.” Another playful response was, “She has some left.”
A Six-Year-Old’s Homework
Even the parents of a six-year-old faced trouble with a homework assignment. The activity sheet featured a paint splatter and several apples. The question asked, “How many apples could be covered by the paint? There cannot be more than 20.”
This question confused many Reddit users, with one even thinking it was a riddle. The complexity of the question left both parents and online users scratching their heads.
Grade 1 Math
A Twitter user shared a math problem for grade one students that seemed almost impossible to solve. However, one person managed to find an answer by slightly tweaking the question.
Another Math Problem
Another math question posted on Twitter left people scratching their heads. The question required students to calculate the perimeter of a shape based on the measurements of another rectilinear shape.
One user sarcastically commented, “It’s very much justified to ask these to a ten-year-old.” Math can sometimes be tricky, and this question proved to be quite challenging.
Solving for X
This last math problem was too complex even for the Twitter world. The question asked, “An orchestra of 120 players takes 40 minutes to play Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. How long would it take for 60 players to play the symphony? Let P be the number of players and T the time playing.”
While the question seemed daunting, one person explained that the math was irrelevant in this case. They shared their experience as a performer and mentioned that the speed of the symphony is not influenced by the number of musicians. A thought-provoking answer indeed.
When parents face confusing homework questions like these, they can turn to online communities for support and different perspectives. Reddit and Twitter prove to be valuable resources where people share their knowledge and reassure parents that they’re not alone. So, the next time your child brings home a perplexing assignment, know that there’s always a helping hand online.
