[darryl]

It's amazing how often difficulty in solving a problem or worse, error, comes about because of missing essential information. In this case if there is any information left out it is what to compare the new number of peanuts held by Y to. The number held by X? The number previously held by Y? As is, it is arguable that when you give someone an extra peanut and ask how many more peanuts they now have, it is arguably implied that the comparison is to how many peanuts that person had before the gift, the difference then being 1. If a student answered 2 to that question it is likely that they answered on the basis of their unstated assumption that the comparison was to peanuts now held by X. Given the test is of basic Maths and not English I would count this answer as also being correct, even though the student answering did not specify this assumption.

I would also point out that our drift from the topic if it continues may take us into the realms of Politics. There are already some signs of this. Of issues of the quality and academic requirements for teachers. Of their training. Of teacher workload and "curriculum crowding", currently a topic with some media discussion in Australia, at least in New South Wales. And of course the inclusion in the curricula of politically charged issues. In Australia something called the "Safe Schools" program has been the subject of much debate. If discussion strays too deeply into these areas then ii may well end up spawning a thread in the politics and religion forums.