Page 1 of 1

Would some interpret this for me plz?

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:35 pm
by roranoa
from PT35/sec4/Q1

[People who are very good at manipulating symbols do not necessarily have any mathematical understanding]

What does this mean?

1. Does it simply mean that people who are very good at manipulating symbols do not have any mathematical understanding?

or

2. People who are very good at manipulating symbols do not always have any mathematical understanding.

English is my second language so help me out here.

I don't get what "do not necessarily~have any" means in this sentence.

Re: Would some interpret this for me plz?

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:40 pm
by Tiago Splitter
Option 2

Re: Would some interpret this for me plz?

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:45 pm
by Want_My_Life_Back
It is closer to 2.
It is saying that being very good at manipulating symbols is not sufficient to draw a conclusion regarding ones mathematical understanding. They could have no understanding, some understanding, full understanding but we don't have enough information to know which.

Re: Would some interpret this for me plz?

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:54 pm
by Tiago Splitter
May not always would be better than do not always. It's possible they may always have mathematical understanding, but we don't know for sure.

Re: Would some interpret this for me plz?

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:32 am
by roranoa
thanks a lot you two!

That cleared it up!