Most parents are unable to answer this 'tough' GCSE maths question

With exam season in full swing, parents will want to do all they can to help their children prepare for their all-important GCSEs. But, a recent survey found that grown-ups might struggle helping their teens with some of the questions that they have to face in the exam hall.

As students are in the midst of their maths GCSE, a new survey of UK parents by has revealed that a staggering eight in 10 parents were unable to answer a past maths GCSE question. Millions of teenagers are due to sit, or have already taken, some of their GCSE exams.

With secondary school students receiving revision support from parents in the build-up, experts from Save My Exams have challenged parents to answer a maths question that would feature across both the foundation and higher papers. asked 500 parents to answer a past paper GCSE maths question and found that 85% wouldn't have got the marks.

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From those surveyed, 55% got the question wrong. Up to 30% simply couldn't provide an answer at all, which would mean missing out on vital marks in a test.

Over three in 10 parents surveyed said that they were not confident that they would pass their child’s GCSE exams. Almost a third (28%) also stated a lack of confidence and uncertainty in their child passing their GCSEs this year.

The question was: "Chris, Debbie and Errol share some money in the ratio 3:4:2." It adds: "Debbie gets £120. Chris then gives some of his share to Debbie and Errol.

"The money that Chris, Debbie and Errol each have is in the ratio 2:5:3." Students are then asked to calculate "how much money did Chris give to Errol?"

Lucy Kirkham, head of STEM at Save My Exams, explained how to solve the question and get a full-mark answer. Below, there is a full-colour coded guide that shows Lucy's working out (something that students must remember to demonstrate in exams to gain additional marks).

She said: "This GCSE Maths question relates to changing ratios. It requires students, and parents, to correctly find the value of one part, in order to work out how much money Chris gave to Errol.

"Before being able to calculate this, you first need to work out how much each part of the ratio is worth by dividing how much Debbie gets by her part of the ratio, then multiplying this by Chris and Errol’s ratios. One part is therefore worth £30, multiplying this by each of the other shares, Errol gets £60 and Chris £90, meaning they have shared £270 in total.

"In the second ratio, there are 10 shares in total (2 + 5 + 3 = 10) so one part is equivalent to £27, as you divide the total amount the friends have by the total shares in the new ratio. Finally, you can work out how much Errol now gets by deducting the two values Errol had in each ratio, giving a final answer of £21."