TIMSS 12th Grade Math

A TIMSS score of 456 is the score American 12th grade girls got in math, a subject in which they demonstrated zero ability to resolve math problems. They scored 405 in physics, 439 in calculus, 408 in geometry. This is an average of 427, which is the average score someone would get in TIMSS if they answered all the memorization questions and just guessed on the rest.

Conversely the international average for boys was 518 in math, 523 in physics, 545 in calculus, and 547 in geometry, which is an average of 533. This corresponds to an average percent correct of 19.3%.

At the top end is Switzerland Swiss boys correctly answered 57% of these questions, and their scores were 555, 529, 536, and 569, respectively, so an average score of 547 corresponds to 57% correct.

timssquestions.xls

American 12th grade girls demonstrated in TIMSS that they had been taught and remembered basic math principles as well as or better than boys.  On 11 of 45 questions in Mathematics Literacy, and on 10 of 67 questions in Advanced Math, more girls than boys got the correct answers.

For example, 68% of girls compared to 66% of boys correctly answered Item K1. If xy = 1 and x is greater than 0, which of the following statements is true?

A. When x is greater than 1, y is negative.

B. When x is greater than 1, y is greater than 1.

C. When x is less than 1, y is less than 1.

D. As x increases, y increases.

E. As x increases, y decreases.

And 40% of girls but only 38% of boys correctly answered Item L3: A radio-active element decomposes according to the formula, y = y o e -kt where y is the mass of the element remaining after t days and y o is the value of y for t =0.  Find the value of the constant k for an element whose half-life (i.e. time to decompose half of the material) is 4 days.

A. 14 log e 2

B. log e12

C. log 2 e

D. (log e 2)1/4

E. 2e 4

On the 15 questions which required the application of these principles to problem solving, an average of ZERO percent of American 12th grade girls answered them correctly, compared to an international average of 18% of boys and an average of 57% of boys in the highest scoring countries.

Responsible citizenship requires responsible voting decisions, critical analysis of complex issues, and the ability to assess the probability of events.  But only 28.7% of American girls correctly answered a probability and statistics question, Item J13, "Overall Average Test Score".  If they had just guessed at the answer to this 4 answer multiple choice question, 25% of them would have answered correctly, which means that at most only 3.7% of them demonstrated any ability in this probability and statistics question.  Because the standard error in TIMSS is plus or minus 3%, we can't be sure that more than 0.7% of American 12th grade girls understand probability and statistics.

After subtracting for multiple choice guesses, 29.4% of American boys, 55% of Israeli boys, and an average of 34.5% of boys internationally, answered this question correctly, demonstrating that these were reasonable questions.  One of the most important characteristics of a juror in a country where a trial by jury is a right is the ability of that juror to accurately assess the probability of guilt.  What an irresponsible event it was, then, to allow on juries so many citizens (women) whose scientifically proven ability to assess probability is almost zero percent.  This alone could explain the nation's skyrocketing incarceration and false conviction rates, which both corresponded with skyrocketing crime rates.