Resource 4: Structured questions

Background information / subject knowledge for teacher

A structured question is one that has three parts.

  • Part 1 is easy and can be answered by all pupils.
  • Part 2 is a bit more difficult but can be answered by the majority of pupils.
  • Part 3 is more difficult and tests the more able pupils.

Here is an example.

Alice and Mary are having an argument. Alice says that it is hotter this week than it was last week. Mary thinks it was hotter last week. Here are the temperatures for the two weeks.

MonTuesWedThursFriSatSun
Week 122ºC21ºC19.5ºC23ºC23ºC23. 5ºC22ºC
Week 218ºC19ºC23. 5ºC25ºC26ºC24ºC22ºC
  • a) Draw the temperature for both weeks on the same line graph, using different colours for each week. (Part 1)
  • b) Which week showed the highest temperature? (Part 2)
  • c) Which week showed the lowest temperature? (Part 2)
  • d) Find the mean temperature for each week. (Part 2)
  • e) Find the range of temperatures for each week. (Part 2)
  • f) In some ways Alice is right and in some ways Mary is right. Explain. (Part 3)

Original source: The New Uganda Primary Mathematics Pupil’s Book 7

Resource 3: Data sets

Resource 5: Kano’s rainfall