1921 Exam
Under the heading "Dumbing Down," New York Magazine reprinted Regents High 
School Examination questions #1 from the Regents (history/algebra) of 1921-2 
and 1993-4.


1921: "The achieving of democracy is a long, necessarily slow process and 

each generation has contributed towards making the ideal a reality. State a 
contribution towards the achieving of democracy made by each of two of the 
following colonies: Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, the Massachusetts 
Bay Colony. Explain how one of these colonies aided in this achievement. 


1993: Which feature of the United States system of government is the most 
essential aspect of democracy?
1. judicial supremacy
2. a bicameral legislature
3. a powerful executive
4. a freedom of choice


1921: 1b. Find the prime factors of four of the following:
a^2 -2a - 48 
100x^4 - 49y^6
36m^2 + 60mn + 25n^2
12c^2 + 7c - 12
3y^2a - 6ya


1994: 1. Solve for 3x -5 = x + 7




From h-bd Steve Goldberg  Hi--
I don't imply any specific conclusion tfrom the following. Clearly high 
schools go far deeper into the pool than they did in 1921. Nonetheless, it's 
difficult to believe (but also difficult to demonstrate) that there has not 
been a decline in education. 


**************************************************************************************************
Under the heading "Dumbing Down," New York Magazine reprinted Regents High 
School Examination questions #1 from the Regents (history/algebra) of 1921-2 
and 1993-4.


1921: "The achieving of democracy is a long, necessarily slow process and 
each generation has contributed towards making the ideal a reality. State a 
contribution towards the achieving of democracy made by each of two of the 
following colonies: Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, the Massachusetts 
Bay Colony. Explain how one of these colonies aided in this achievement. 


1993: Which feature of the United States system of government is the most 
essential aspect of democracy?


1. judicial supremacy
2. a bicameral legislature
3. a powerful executive
4. a freedom of choice


1921: 1a. Divide a4 + 2a3 - 6a2 +26a - 15 by a2 + 4a - 3 and check, letting a 
= 2. (PLEASE NOTE: when a number follows a letter it is an exponent. I don't 
know how to (or if you can) type a superscript in an e-mail.)


      1b. Find the prime factors of four of the following:


                a2 -2a - 48 


                100x4 - 49y6
    
36m2 + 60mn + 25n2


12c2 + 7c - 12


3y2a - 6ya


     1c. Write as a single fraction in its lowest terms:


    [4 - (6/a+1)] divided by [8 - (4a-8/a2-1]


     There was more to this question that was not reprinted in New York


1994: 1. Solve for 3x -5 = x + 7


(I don't know how I would have done had I been of high school age in 1921, 
but I'm sure glad I don't have to be in high school in 1921 at the age of 57.


Best,


steve


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