As if the SAT didn’t already have a less-than-stellar reputation in terms of racial bias and the possible inability to truly measure a student’s cognitive abilities, now a story about an expensive blunder is once again making the rounds on social media. Back in 1982, one math question on the test was completely impossible to answer on the multiple-choice Scantron. How was that possible? Because the correct answer hadn’t even been listed.
Classic SAT test.
Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash
Herewasthequestion:Picturetwocircles,alargeonemarkedBandasmalleronenexttoitwithanarrow,markedA.“Inthefigureabove,theradiusofCircleAis1/3theradiusofCircleB.Startingfromthepositionshowninthefigure,CircleArollsaroundCircleB.AttheendofhowmanyrevolutionsofCircleAwillthecenterofthecirclefirstreachitsstartingpoint?”IsitA,3/2;B,three;C,six;D,9/2;orE,nine?
OntheVeritasiumYouTubepage,theyexplainthatifyouweretolookattheproblemlogically,you’dconcludetheanswerwasB,three.Becausethecircumferenceofacircleis2πr,andtheradiusofCircleBisthreetimesthatofCirc
