On EPGY it asks questions like 11-x=7, solve for x. They never teach any algebra at this level, so I think she is just supposed to know that x=4 because she knows that math fact. She was unable to move forward in the program because I have not taught her the algebra and she does not know this as a math fact.
I haven't used EPGY, but let me stick my neck out and say that if they
are expecting people to be able to do that just because they recognise 11, 4 and 7 as going together, that's really terrible pedagogy (e.g., it might lead to the same child solving 7-x=11 wrongly by the same method!). I bet that's not what they intend. Seems more likely that your DD didn't properly understand the question - is that possible?
We used to play "secret number game", which goes "The secret number is called x, and the clue is that 11-x=7", which DS used to love from very young.
Algebra is easy, but something does have to be done to explain what that label x means.
The other problem calculation she had the other day was as follows:
"Mom, how much time do I have to read tonight?"
"Well it is 7:46 and it is lights out at 8:00, you tell me"
I was really surprised that she could not figure that out.
Many children at this age don't really understand digital time. Could she have counted up minute by minute, 7:47,....7:59,8:00, or would she have gone on 7:60,7:61 etc.? I forget at what age, but I remember being surprised by my (very mathy) DS doing the latter at some point.
