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The problem seems to be limited to pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters; if so there are two solutions (and if not I think the problem is even more poorly framed, if possible). The kids given this problem aren't learning combinatorics, really, but doing the same old EM stuff about adding up whole numbers in different ways, because at that level EM's obsession is building up number sense by combining numbers in different ways. I'd be thrilled if this problem had been presented correctly in the context of learning some combinatorics.

Besides the limiting constraint of exactly four quarters, Stella has to have exactly five coins, Joan has to have exactly ten coins, and Joan has to have double Stella's amount of money. It's neat that you're able to model the problem at all in a spreadsheet-- I'm pretty happy when I can get things to total up correctly in Excel, and never delved into programming it.

This is grade 2. They don't use dollar or half dollar coins in the solution. It was P, N, D and Q. I didn't show that and with only 4 quarters, you can only have limited solutions where S = 2J and where S has 5 coins and J has 10 coins. If you want to extend the types of coins, then you can have a multitude of solutions.

Sorry, the 76 was wrong for the number of coins. Zone out moment.

But the point being, since we are debating this silly problem, is that they would send this home as a worksheet with the level of math they were doing. I find Everyday math very frustrating. It is illogical for everyday use.

Here are all the cases. There are 55.

(pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, 50 cent, dollar)

Stella Joan

(0,0,0,0,0,5)=500 (0,0,5,4,0,1)=250
(0,0,0,0,1,4)=450 (0,3,1,4,2,0)=225
(0,0,0,0,1,4)=450 (0,5,0,4,0,1)=225
(0,0,0,0,2,3)=400 (0,0,5,4,1,0)=200
(0,0,0,0,3,2)=350 (0,5,0,4,1,0)=175
(0,0,0,0,4,1)=300 (0,2,4,4,0,0)=150
(0,0,0,2,0,3)=350 (5,0,2,2,0,1)=175
(0,0,0,2,1,2)=300 (0,4,3,2,1,0)=150
(0,0,0,2,2,1)=250 (0,1,7,2,0,0)=125
(0,0,0,2,2,1)=250 (5,0,2,2,1,0)=125
(0,0,0,2,3,0)=200 (0,6,2,2,0,0)=100
(0,0,0,4,0,1)=200 (0,0,10,0,0,0)=100
(0,0,0,4,0,1)=200 (0,8,1,0,1,0)=100
(0,0,0,4,1,0)=150 (0,5,5,0,0,0)=75
(0,0,0,4,1,0)=150 (5,4,0,0,1,0)=75
(0,0,1,0,0,4)=410 (5,0,0,4,0,1)=205
(0,0,1,0,1,3)=360 (0,4,1,4,1,0)=180
(0,0,1,0,2,2)=310 (0,1,5,4,0,0)=155
(0,0,1,0,2,2)=310 (5,0,0,4,1,0)=155
(0,0,1,0,3,1)=260 (0,6,0,4,0,0)=130
(0,0,1,2,0,2)=260 (0,0,8,2,0,0)=130
(0,0,1,2,1,1)=210 (0,5,3,2,0,0)=105
(0,0,1,2,2,0)=160 (5,1,2,2,0,0)=80
(0,0,1,4,0,0)=110 (0,9,1,0,0,0)=55
(0,0,1,4,0,0)=110 (5,0,5,0,0,0)=55
(0,0,2,0,0,3)=320 (0,0,6,4,0,0)=160
(0,0,2,0,1,2)=270 (0,5,1,4,0,0)=135
(0,0,2,0,2,1)=220 (5,1,0,4,0,0)=110
(0,0,2,2,0,1)=170 (5,0,3,2,0,0)=85
(0,0,3,0,0,2)=230 (5,0,1,4,0,0)=115
(0,1,0,1,0,3)=330 (0,4,2,3,1,0)=165
(0,1,0,1,1,2)=280 (0,1,6,3,0,0)=140
(0,1,0,1,1,2)=280 (5,0,1,3,1,0)=140
(0,1,0,1,2,1)=230 (0,6,1,3,0,0)=115
(0,1,0,1,3,0)=180 (5,2,0,3,0,0)=90
(0,1,0,3,0,1)=180 (0,5,4,1,0,0)=90
(0,1,0,3,1,0)=130 (5,1,3,1,0,0)=65
(0,1,1,1,0,2)=240 (0,5,2,3,0,0)=120
(0,1,1,1,1,1)=190 (5,1,1,3,0,0)=95
(0,2,0,0,0,3)=310 (0,1,5,4,0,0)=155
(0,2,0,0,0,3)=310 (5,0,0,4,1,0)=155
(0,2,0,0,1,2)=260 (0,6,0,4,0,0)=130
(0,2,0,2,0,1)=160 (5,1,2,2,0,0)=80
(0,2,1,0,0,2)=220 (5,1,0,4,0,0)=110
(1,0,0,1,2,1)=226 (3,1,3,3,0,0)=113
(1,0,0,3,0,1)=176 (3,0,6,1,0,0)=88
(1,0,0,3,1,0)=126 (3,5,1,1,0,0)=63
(1,0,1,1,0,2)=236 (3,0,4,3,0,0)=118
(1,0,1,3,0,0)=86 (8,0,1,1,0,0)=43
(1,1,0,0,1,2)=256 (3,1,2,4,0,0)=128
(1,1,0,2,0,1)=156 (3,5,0,2,0,0)=78
(2,0,0,0,0,3)=302 (1,0,5,4,0,0)=151
(2,0,0,0,1,2)=252 (1,5,0,4,0,0)=126
(2,0,0,2,0,1)=152 (6,0,2,2,0,0)=76
(2,0,1,0,0,2)=212 (6,0,0,4,0,0)=106

There are 3 given that constraint.


(0,0,1,4,0,0)=110 (0,9,1,0,0,0)=55
(0,0,1,4,0,0)=110 (5,0,5,0,0,0)=55
(1,0,1,3,0,0)=86 (8,0,1,1,0,0)=43


There in lies the difference between the GT world and non GT world. I can see teaching this in many ways - whole numbers, graphs, tiles, harmonics, learning to program, etc. Your average teacher sees pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. LOL.

A good math teacher could spend a month teaching just this problem to 2d graders who are 2+ SD on math ability.

Nice. I didn't check for it. Those are distinct solutions. And it would make for a nice programming problem.

PM me and I will provide c# code.

Okay. I've done the walk-away-from-this thing to see if I would have a different perspective after a bit of time has passed, but I really don't, so I'm going to go ahead and post.

I believe this is a rather unfortunate case of the messenger (which would be my role in this case) taking a bullet. If I sound "like some of the school staff you've run into" (which didn't exactly seem to put me in an endearing category), then it's probably because I am a member of a school staff. As far as my background goes, yes, I am an elementary teacher. I teach in a self-contained gifted and talented classroom, and have done so for my entire teaching career. Not only have I taught 2e students, I am currently one of two teacher representatives on a state-level committee whose sole charge is to advocate for the needs of 2e students now that our state's definition of SLD has changed and 2e students are basically no longer allowed to exist in our state. I have probably sat in dozens of case conferences for over a dozen 2e children over the years. I have advocated for my 2e kids at both the district level and the state level, including multiple face-to-face meetings with our state superintendent of public instruction and members of our state board of public education. Helping kids learn math (and language arts and social studies and science and related arts) with the least interference from an SLD possible is what I do on a daily basis, so that's not exactly some new revelation to me.

I'll see your "little to do" and raise you an "absolutely nothing to do" when it comes to what elementary standardized tests have to do with learning for gifted kids. However, standardized tests are the rules by which the game of education is played these days. I can't change the rules, but I have experience in helping 2e parents and kids navigate the system and play within the rules while still getting the best education possible.

I know that you prefaced your comment on accommodations with "IMO," but my whole reason for posting my response was to warn the original poster that "opinions" frankly don't matter when it comes to accommodations that can be made for state standardized testing. I have seen too many parents of dysgraphic students think that dictation is going to be "the magic bullet" for everything educational and that no other strategies will be needed...and then have no clue what to do when they're told at a case conference that it will be fine for everyday work, but NOT a good option for standardized testing. Never did I say in my reply to the original poster that a dictation accommodation should not be considered for daily work. However, because that particular accommodation may not be acceptable for state standardized testing, I thought it might be helpful to warn the original poster of that fact and to provide information on what I have found to be a helpful strategy for students who struggle with dysgraphia and the written work frequently required with math these days. You apparently read my warning and decided that I'm just another "school staff member" trying to keep these 2e kids down, and I felt compelled to let you and others reading this thread know that you are mistaken.

I agree. That is why we have excel, c, sql, and R. Leave the arithmetic to the machines so we can focus on the qualitative analysis.

Thank you for introducing yourself. Nice to meet you. Almost everyone who frequently posts here are parents of gifted kids although there is one other regular poster who is a gifted teacher, not a parent, Beckee, and CAmom who is a parent but also is, of was, a teacher. You're the first k-12 teacher i've seen who has posted here who teaches 2e students. I'm pleased to meet you. Welcome here, from me, to you. I'm actually just a stay at home mom of two advanced babies, one will start school next year, we have a family history of advancedness. I don't know how long you've read this board before posting so I thought I'd introduce myself in case you didn't feel like you "know" anyone on this board yet. And, again, thanks for introducing yourself. And welcome.