Smarter than a 5th Grader

[honda03842]

We regular Skype our 5th grade niece, sometimes to help her with her homework. This week she had an assignment that kept our heads spinning.

She had a list of about 20 words where she was suposed to change one letter to create a new word like "ago change that o to an e to create age".

After a fair amount of work the three of us completed the assignment, finding ten words to convert except for the following words: "asleep, because, between, before, afraid, below, across, ahead and again". We simply could not replace one letter to create a new word.

I will say we worked on this for hours after our Skype call with no further success.

Also I will say Skype is extremely useful during our travels, particularly with younger people who sometimes like to sit there and just chit chat with you.

Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Did the teacher just stick some impossible words into the assignment?

[rgrugg]

As a former math teacher, I believe it doesn't necessarily matter if it can be done or not (I didn't try) but that it exercises the mind. There's a whole lot more to education than memorization. Some confuse that with education.

[Alf S.]

Hi: honda03842...Are you alowed to rearange the letters??? This sounds like a lesson in using the dictionary!!! When my kids used to ask me "how do you spell a certain word" ?'s my std. reply was "Dictionary". LoL
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Carol H]

Norm in "asleep" change one of the e's to and a and you get "salpae" - yup its a word!

Nope not smarter than a 5th grader just smart enough to have apps that answer any question a 5th grader might ask! Hehe The app you need is "Words with Cheats" - you may need it if they ever ask to play Words with Friends with you on line - as they say there is an app for everything!

[honda03842]

Sorry you are not allowed to rearrange the letters, just replace a single letter.

Ginny says she doesn't feel quite so stupid now

RGrugg.
I absolutely love mind puzzles with or without solution. I've been working on how two magnets are attracted to or repelled by each other without any physical connection for some time.

I have come to recognize that much of what we are taught in science and engineering is what happens and not necessarilly how it happens.

The world is a wonder.

.

[Alf S.]

Hi: honda03842... Watched a prog. on the tube. Canadian show...The Nature of Things w/ Dr. David Suzuki. The Magnetic North Pole has migrated 1700 km's from where it used to be and travels about 20ks per year. By 2030 it should be somewhere in Siberia.
Over the millenia the poles have reversed many times N-S and S-N. Just think what havoc that will create with all our techy stuff. Should happen in about 5-700,000 years so start planning!!! LoL
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie (I think)

[honda03842]

Alf,

I am a pole follower. The speed of it's motion has been accelerating. Last year it moved 40Km.

Periods of relative magnetic stability range from 100,000 to 1,000,000 years taking 1-10,000 years to complete a pole reversal. As well as reversals, the strength of the magnetic field is lessening, about 10-15% over the last 150 years. This coupled with the very weak and long sunspot cycle makes the earth more vulnerable to energetic cosmic rays.

So much to hold one's interest as we travel....

[Alf S.]

Hi: honda03842... What can I say...It must be my magnetic personality!!! LoL The power of all humanity is nothing compared to NATURE. Enjoy your "Sunspot".
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[honda03842]

Alf,

Nature has staying power. To nature everything recycles.