Original Project
Models
The usefulness of a model in thinking about objects, events, and processes depends on how closely its behavior m…
Item MO062002: If a student makes a model of the solar system to think about how long it would take a spaceship to travel between the planets, it is essential for him to accurately represent the relative sizes of and distances between the planets, but it is not essential that he makes the model of each planet look like the planet it represents.
A student wants to make a simple model of the solar system to help him compare how long it would take for a spaceship to travel between different planets. Which of the following things is absolutely essential for him to do in order to think about how long it would take?
- He must accurately represent the relative distances between the planets, and also make sure that the model of each planet looks like the planet it represents.
- He must make sure that the model of each planet looks like the planet it represents, but he does not need to accurately represent the relative distances between the planets.
- He must accurately represent the relative distances between the planets, but he does not need to make sure that the model of each planet looks like the planet it represents.
- He does not need to accurately represent the relative distances between the planets, and he does not need to make sure that the model of each planet looks like the planet it represents.
- Distribution of Responses
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1140 | 3009 | 38% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | 631 | 1890 | 33% |
| 9–12 | 509 | 1119 | 45% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 534 | 1449 | 37% |
| Female | 582 | 1501 | 39% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 1032 | 2683 | 38% |
| Other | 71 | 250 | 28% |