mom123, we haven't ever used EPGY so please take what I say with a grain of salt... but fwiw based on our kids' school experience in early elementary:
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.
When my kids first had problems like this appear in math, it wasn't with the idea that they should just "know" the answer because it was a math fact, it was the beginning of teaching the children the concept of how to solve for an unknown, and it was introduced before timed drills in math facts.
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.
FWIW, only one of my three kids really had the concept of adding time like this take hold easily. I was equally surprised and really don't know why! Sometimes I wonder though if it's possibly related to living in a world of digital clocks?
polarbear
