Synopsis - Methods of Creating HOT Questions

Introduction
In everyday teaching we ask questions to get feedback, to provoke responses, to capture
attention and to stimulate thinking. Closed-ended questions require recall and very short
answers . There are questions looking for one key word in the answer and this can create
great excitement in the class.
What is a circle? What is standard deviation? What is a vector?
A circle is a locus (path). Standard deviation is a measure. A vector is a quantity.

A circle is a locus of a point that moves such its distance from a given point is always the
same. Standard deviation is a measure of variability of a set of data. A vector is a
quantity that has magnitude and direction. (A quantity is something you can measure.)

Keywords express understanding and comprehension. They also help the learners recall
and remember.

However an interesting part of teaching is creating questions that require higher order
thinking beyond comprehension and memory. Thinking skills in analysis, synthesis,
judgment and creativity are important life-skills. The aim here is to suggest methods
for creating higher thinking questions.

In the examples the solutions are provided because they are essential part of the order
of thinking.

Characteristics of HOT Questions

Encourage students to think deeply and critically

Synthesize a range of concepts and skills
Stimulate students to seek information on their own
Involve new situations
Promote dialogue
Open-ended
The list is a guide but is also a constraint. Methods are instinctive and practical.

Methods of Creating Higher Order Thinking

1. Create small steps to derive a scientific result.
2. Can I reverse the order of the question?
3. Make a extension to a question
4. Generalize
5. Construct a problem solving question by relating to real life situations.
6. Find links between topics
Activity

The parabolic equation is 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟒𝒂𝒙 where F(a, 0) is the focus has the property that light
rays parallel to its axis is reflected toward the focus F.Create a question.
𝟏
Consider 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟒𝒙 and change to 𝒙𝟐 = 𝟒𝒚 hence 𝒚 = 𝟒 𝒙𝟐 .
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟓
Translate to 𝒚 = (𝒙 − 𝟏)𝟐 + 𝟏 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒙 +
𝟒 𝟒 𝟐 𝟒

Question
𝟏 𝟏 𝟓
The equation of a parabola is given as y =𝟒 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝟒

(i) Express y in the form 𝒚 = 𝒂(𝒙 − 𝒉)𝟐 + 𝒌

(ii) State the coordinates of the vertex.
(iii) The coordinates of the point F is (1, 2) and the point P (u, v) lies on the parabola.
Show the distance PF equals the perpendicular distance of P from the x-axis.
𝟓
(iv) The parabola intersect the y-axis at A(𝟎, 𝟒) Explain why FA = OA where O is the
origin.
(v) Find the equation of the normal to the parabola at point A.
(vi) Show that the normal at A bisects the angle FA makes with the y-axis.

Example 1 (Original question)

Find the number of digits in the number250 .

Solution

By using a calculator 250 ≈ 1.126 × 1015

Hence 1015 < 250 < 1016

Therefore 250 has 16 digits.

Example 2 (Reversing the order of the original question)

A number of the form 2𝑛 has 16 digits. What are the values of n?

Solution
The number has 16 digits.

Hence 1015 < 2𝑛 < 1016

𝑙𝑜𝑔10 1015 < 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 2𝑛 < 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 1016

15 < 𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 2 < 16

15 < 0.301𝑛 < 16

15 16
<𝑛<
0.301 0.301

49.8 < 𝑛 < 53.2

The values of n are 50, 51, 52 and 53.

It turns out there are 4 values of n and the solution requires the application of logarithm.
Reversing the order of a question has increased the level of difficulty. It also involves additional
areas of knowledge and application.

Example 3 (Generalize the question)

When 2𝑛 has 16 digits there are 4 possible values of n. In the general case a number 2𝑚 has p
digits how many values of m are there?

Solution
One of the characteristics of higher order thinking question is that it stimulates students to seek
information on their own. When the number of digits is a general value p the question
encourages exploration. Students may use the calculator to find the number of digits for
different values of p. For p = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 up to 50 or 100 more skillful use of
technology is now required. The question gives opportunity for the teacher to introduce the
graphic calculator or excel or wolfram alpha to generate the numbers. Students analyze for a
pattern and make a conjecture.

It can be observed in table of values generated, for a given number of digits there either three
values of four values for the exponent for n = 1, 2, 3 up to 50. After the analysis, the students
have to create a plan for a proof of his conjecture.

Proof

(𝐼𝑓102 < 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 < 103 , the number has 3 digits)

The number 2𝑚 has p digits.

10𝑝−1 < 2𝑚 < 10𝑝

Suppose 2𝑚 = 10𝑝−1 + ℎ where h is positive integer (Using a plan)

2𝑚+1 = 2(10𝑝−1 ) + 2ℎ

2𝑚+2 = 4(10𝑝−1 ) + 4ℎ

2𝑚+3 = 8(10𝑝−1 ) + 8ℎ

2𝑚+4 = 16(10𝑝−1 ) + 16ℎ > (10)10𝑝−1 = 10𝑝

There are 3 or 4 values of m according to whether 2𝑚+2

is greater or less than10𝑝
.

10𝑝−1 2𝑚 2𝑚+1 2𝑚+2 2𝑚+3 10𝑝

If 2𝑚+3 = 8(10𝑝−1 ) + 8ℎ < 10𝑝

8ℎ < 10𝑝 − 8(10𝑝−1 )

8ℎ < 10𝑝−1 (10 − 8)

8ℎ < 2(10𝑝−1 )

1
ℎ < 4 (10𝑝−1 )

For example when p = 4, p – 1 =3, there are four 4-digit numbers as shown below.

103 < 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192 < 104

1 1
This is because h = 1024 – 1000 = 24 < 4 (1000) = (103 )
4

1024 = 210
2048 = 211
4096 = 212
8192 = 213

Hence the 4 values of the exponents are 10, 11, 12 and 13.

1
𝐼𝑓 ℎ > 4 (10𝑝−1 )

8ℎ > 2(10𝑝−1 )

2𝑚+3 = 8(10𝑝−1 ) + 8ℎ > 8(10𝑝−1 ) + 2(10𝑝−1 )

2𝑚+3 > 10𝑝

Example
For p = 3, p – 1 = 2, we have 102 < 128, 256, 512 < 103
1 1
This is because h = 128 – 100 = 28 > 4 (100) =4 (102 )

128 = 27
256 = 28
512 = 29

Hence there can only be 3 values for the exponent, 7, 8 and 9.

Example 4 (Relate to Education)

The exponential number 𝑎𝑛 can be related to situations such as exponential growth and
the education of large numbers. A mathematician Sissa ibn Dahir’s legend told putting a
grain on the first square of the chess board and two on the second square four on the
fourth on the third doubling each time until the 64 th square. This was his reward when
 the king insisted he must make a request for his invention. It turned out the amount of
grain in the whole kingdom is not enough. This story is to educate people about
exponential growth and huge numbers. For example how big is the number250 ? Its
equivalent is similar to knowing how hot is 1000C or how far is 1 kilometer?

Problem solving
If paper of a fine thickness of 0.01 mm is stacked up to 250 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑠 (sheets) how high
would it be? Would the height of the stack be taller than the desk or reached the ceiling
or higher than the Twin Towers?

Solution

1 mm = 0.001 m = 10−3 𝑚 = 10−6 𝑘𝑚

Height of stack = 0.01 × 10−6 × 250 km

≈ 11,258,999 km

The radius of the Earth = 6378 km

Circumference of the equator = 2 × 𝜋 × 6378

11,258,999
Number of times round the equator = = 280
2𝜋(6378)
The stack will circle the equator of the Earth 280 times.

Example 5 (Problem solving - relate to nature)

A bacterium enters a body of a person. Each new bacterium grows and breaks into two bacteria
every half hour. If it takes 50 billion bacteria to make the person to fall sick estimate how long
does it takes for the individual?

Solution
After the first half-hour number of bacteria = 21
After the second half-hour number of bacteria = 22
After the third half-hour number of bacteria = 23
After the nth half-hour number of bacteria = 2𝑛
We want to exceed 50 billion bacteria
2𝑛 > 50,000,000,000
𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 2 > 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 50,000,000,000
𝑙𝑜𝑔10 (5×1010 )
𝑛> 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 2
𝑛 > 35.5
𝑛 ≈ 36
It takes 36 half-hours hence the person will fall sick in about 18 hours.

When doing research to find an organism I stumbled upon a research paper submitted to the
National Institute of Medical Research London where the growth of the bacillus cereus (causes
diarrhea) in a certain concentration of solution and temperature is nearly every half hour. There
is wider range of concepts.

Example 6 (Link to other subjects - relate to Physics)

f
H
h
u v
1 1 1
Derive the formula for thin lens 𝑢 + 𝑣 = 𝑓

h
u v

Solution
ℎ 𝑣
By similar triangles 𝐻 = 𝑢

H
h
v
ℎ 𝑣− 𝑓
By similar triangles 𝐻 = 𝑓

𝑣 𝑣−𝑓
Therefore =
𝑢 𝑓

𝑣 𝑣
=𝑓−1
𝑢

1 1 1
=𝑓−𝑣
𝑢

1 1 1
𝑢
+𝑣 =𝑓
Example 4 (Link between topics –kinematics and arithmetic progression)

Kinematics question

A particle is projected vertically upwards with initial velocity u 𝒎𝒔−𝟏 and the particle
stays 40 m and above for √𝟏𝟕 seconds. Find the value of u.

Solution

The displacement s is greater 40 m.

𝟏
𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 − 𝟐 𝒈𝒕𝟐 > 40
40
Taking g = 10, 𝒖𝒕 − 𝟓𝒕𝟐 > 𝟒𝟎 𝑡1 𝑡2
m
Consider 𝒖𝒕 − 𝟓𝒕𝟐 = 𝟒𝟎

𝟓𝒕𝟐 − 𝒖𝒕 + 𝟒𝟎 = 𝟎

Suppose the roots are 𝒕𝟏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝟐 where 𝒕𝟐 − 𝒕𝟏 = √𝟏𝟕

𝒖
𝒕𝟏 + 𝒕𝟐 = 𝟓

𝟒𝟎
𝒕𝟏 𝒕𝟐 = =𝟖
𝟓

(𝒕𝟐 − 𝒕𝟏 )𝟐 = (𝒕𝟐 + 𝒕𝟏 )𝟐 − 𝟒𝒕𝟏 𝒕𝟐

𝒖 𝟐
𝟏𝟕 = (𝟓) − 𝟒(𝟖)

𝒖 𝟐
(𝟓) = 𝟒𝟗

𝒖 = 𝟑𝟓

Arithmetic progression question

An arithmetic progression has first term u and common difference of −𝟏𝟎. The sum of
some 9 terms is greater than or equal to 100. Find the value of u.

Solution
𝒏
𝑺𝒏 ≥ [𝟐𝒖 + (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝒅] ≥ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝟐
𝒏
[𝟐𝒖 + (𝒏 − 𝟏)(−𝟏𝟎)] ≥ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝟐 100 𝑛1 𝑛2
𝒖𝒏 − 𝟓𝒏𝟐 + 𝟓𝒏 ≥ 𝟏𝟎𝟎

𝟓𝒏𝟐 − (𝒖 + 𝟓) + 𝟏𝟎𝟎 ≥ 𝟎
Consider 𝟓𝒏𝟐 − (𝒖 + 𝟓) + 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟎

Let the roots be 𝒏𝟏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝟐 be the roots where 𝒏𝟏 − 𝒏𝟐 = 𝟖 (𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝟗)

𝒖+𝟓
𝒏𝟏 + 𝒏𝟐 = 𝟓

𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐 = = 𝟐𝟎
𝟓

(𝒏𝟐 − 𝒏)𝟐 = (𝒏𝟐 + 𝒏)𝟐 − 𝟒𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐

𝒖+𝟓 𝟐
84 = ( ) − 𝟒(𝟐𝟎)
𝟓

𝒖+𝟓 𝟐
( ) = 𝟏𝟒𝟒
𝟓

𝒖= 55

A quick look at the arithmetic progression

55, 45, 35, 25, 15, 5 – 5, -15,-25, -35, -45, - 55

𝑺𝟐 = 𝟓𝟓 + 𝟒𝟓 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎

.𝑺𝟑 = 𝟏𝟑𝟓, 𝑺𝟒 = 𝟏𝟔𝟎, 𝑺𝟓 = 𝟏𝟕𝟓, 𝑺𝟔 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎, 𝑺𝟕 = 𝟏𝟕𝟓, 𝑺𝟖 , 𝟏𝟔𝟎,

𝑺𝟗 = 𝟏𝟑𝟓 , 𝑺𝟏𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎

𝒏𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝟏 = 𝟐, hence the are 9 values of n but 𝒏𝟐 − 𝒏𝟏 = 𝟖

The novelty in the link is 𝒏𝟐 − 𝒏𝟏 = 𝟖 (and not 9) while 𝒕𝟐 − 𝒕𝟏 = √𝟏𝟕

This is because time is a continuous variable while the number of terms in an

arithmetic progression is discrete.
Example 8 - Problem solving - trigonometry /sine / cosine / tangent

Estimate the total length of 4 lines of pennants required to decorate the flag pole for
the school sports day.

𝐻 𝑎
tan 𝜃 = =
𝐿 𝑏

𝜃 𝜃
b
L
shadows

Solution:

Use a stick say 2 m high. Measure the length of the shadow.

𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌
𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝜽 = 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘

Calculate the angle 𝜽

At the same time measure the length of the shadow of the flag pole.
𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡
cos 𝜃 = ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒

𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑤 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒

cos 𝜃 = 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑡

𝐿
Length of pennant = length of shadow of flag pole ÷ cos 𝜃 = 𝜽

4𝐿
Total length of 4 strings of pennants = 𝜽

Suggestions for more HOT questions

- Create small steps to derive a scientific fact / result / properties
- Circle theorems – best view (TV and cinema)
- Law of sine / cosine – surveyor’s problem
- Problems with several methods of solutions
- How to measure the radius of the Earth – Radian and arc of a circle

Conclusion

Usually short questions carry about 6 marks. Construct long HOT examination questions
of about 20 marks allow greater depth and freedom for different topics to be selected.
Furthermore varying the topics in long questions frequently make the questions less
predictable. This makes conceptual understanding becomes as important as lots of
practice. Make students write essays on mathematics to develop more critical thinking,
skills in presentation and use of mathematical software).

Train 110 meters to do well in 100 meters.