Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

[Number_6]

I double checked on the DDS thing. Apparently Fiction is classified as 813, then separated by genre and author. Go figure...

 

[Number_6]

Anybody watch this last night?

If I was in that female contestant's shoes (aside from being uncomfortable in heels) I would've got the question wrong (according to the show) but in actuality, depending on the way you look at the question, got it right!

The question was...

What is the largest species of bear?

Now, my girlfriend said, "Polar Bear."

I said to her, "No, the Polar Bear is the tallest, but the Kodiak bear is the largest."

The answer on the show was Polar Bear.

Now, it all depends on the definition of largest. The Polar Bear is actually (on average) a foot taller than the largest brown bear (The Kodiak) but the average weight of a Kodiak is 2500lbs vs. the heaviest average weight of the Polar Bear at 2100lbs.

By large, I don't think of "tall" I think of "most mass" which would be the Kodiak bear.

I was explaining this to her as the show was going on...and, aside from looking at me weird because I knew this useless knowledge of bears, agreed that "large" isn't height.

My question is...

Does largest mean tallest and strongest...or does largest mean bulkiest and broadest?

They were asking the same question here:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/bear.html

 

[WDWFREAK53]

They were asking the same question here:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/bear.html

:lol: THIS IS DEFINITELY A MYSTERY!!! :lol:

The Alaskan Fish & Game Department says the Kodiak is the largest bear in the world.

Actually, though...the correct answer is Polar Bear.

Re-reading the question...it says, "What is the largest SPECIES of bear?"

The Polar Bear is the largest species...whereas the Kodiak bear is just a type of bear in the BROWN bear species (which, for the most part, is smaller than the polar bear.)

So, they got it right.

If it said, "Which is the largest bear in the world?" There would be some debate on it being the Polar Bear or the Kodiak Bear...but definitely, the species as a whole goes to the Polar Bear.

I can tell you one thing...it's NOT the Koala :lookaroun

(Isn't a Koala a marsupial and not really a bear at all?)

 

[hcswingfield]

Koala is a marsupial. I also googled Dewey Decimal system - there is a classification for fiction under 813.

http://www.tnrdlib.bc.ca/dewey.html

Although in my experience many libraries keep current fiction in a "browsing" section, alphabetized by author, and do not put a number on the book.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Koala is a marsupial. I also googled Dewey Decimal system - there is a classification for fiction under 813.

http://www.tnrdlib.bc.ca/dewey.html

Although in my experience many libraries keep current fiction in a "browsing" section, alphabetized by author, and do not put a number on the book.

How funny is this that we're questioning ourselves on 5th grade knowledge? :lol:

 

[Pongo]

My sister called me last night asking if I'd learned about the constellation Ursa Major when I was in fifth grade.

I had no idea what she was talking about because I wasn't watching the show. Apparently her and her fiance were arguing about when they learned that little tidbit :lol:

 

[Connor002]

That show seems to have far too many commercial breaks. I've yet to watch a full episode, much because I can't stand the constant interruption (No Tivo, alas).

I've not been proven stupider than a 5th grader yet, but it doesn't help that I can't seem to remember any of my fifth grade year.:lookaroun

 

[Number_6]

My sister called me last night asking if I'd learned about the constellation Ursa Major when I was in fifth grade.

I had no idea what she was talking about because I wasn't watching the show. Apparently her and her fiance were arguing about when they learned that little tidbit :lol:

Ursa Major, also known as The Big Dipper. When called Ursa Major, it is representing a bear... that has a tail... even though bears don't have tails like that. And I learned that well before fifth grade.

 

[dandaman]

That show seems to have far too many commercial breaks.

Noticed that, too. There was maybe 2 minutes of show at one point last episode before a break.

 

[palmage]

Noticed that, too. There was maybe 2 minutes of show at one point last episode before a break.

I TIVO'd it and started to watch it 21 minutes into the show.
I caught up with the show with 2 minutes left.

So in an hour long show there were 23 minutes worth of commercials.

Thats almost half!!!

 

[DanStat]

The ratings were high because it follows American Idol, which is the highest rated ongoing show on TV. I found "5th Grader" kind of boring after the first couple of contestants.

Nevertheless, FOX has never had any luck with the time slot following American Idol.

 

[Amber]

I agree. :lol:


One question was really bothering me on Wednesday's show.
It was worded very similarly to this:
"True or False. Fiction books do not use the Dewey Decimal System."
The answer they say is "false."
I would have thought true.
Isn't non-fiction the ones that use the DDS?

I would have gotten that wrong too. I was rather annoyed.

I'm not sure how I feel about the show - it seems to dragged out, and as mentioned, too many commercials. I liked Millionaire because it was fast paced and didn't bore me. The 5th grader show is entertaining but at the same time it's boring. :shrug:

 

[Pongo]

Ursa Major, also known as The Big Dipper. When called Ursa Major, it is representing a bear... that has a tail... even though bears don't have tails like that. And I learned that well before fifth grade.

Oh, I learned it before fifth grade too. When I was little, I had a placemat with a map of the night sky on it :lookaroun

I was just confused as to why she cared all of a suddenly :lol:

 

[Nemo14]

I watched it twice, but I really was not impressed. I swear the contestants are picked (or possibly paid) to act as stupid as possible.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

My questions is, how are the contestants picked? I missed the first show, but did a search of the web site and couldn't find any information. I did like the show - just hope it's not shoved down our throats like Millionaire was....

 

[Darth Plank]

I LOVE Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader! It is the best game show yet!

 

[Legacy]

I watched it twice, but I really was not impressed. I swear the contestants are picked (or possibly paid) to act as stupid as possible.

Ever seen the show "Street Smarts?"

 

[Number_6]

Ever seen the show "Street Smarts?"

Now that's a great show! You know they find probably about 50 people to ask those questions to and pick the three stupidest people of the bunch for the contestants to bet on.

 

[eagles]

i am so glad i read this thread.

i too was saying the kodiak was the largest bear, BUT they are a "sub" species of the grizzly bear, which i guess is a species of brown bear. so when asked which "species" is the largest, then the polar bear is correct.


now the one i still question is the number of united states that "border" the pacific ocean. i took the word "border" literally, and i would not have ever said hawaii "borders the pacific ocean, it sits in it, but does not border it.

 

[Fantasmic!329]

That show seems to have far too many commercial breaks.

I noticed that, too.

And the fifth graders themselves were rather irritating.
All the hooting and hollering from the Peanut Gallery (a.k.a. the kids) is just annoying.

I would have gotten that wrong too. I was rather annoyed.

I'm not sure how I feel about the show - it seems to dragged out, and as mentioned, too many commercials. I liked Millionaire because it was fast paced and didn't bore me. The 5th grader show is entertaining but at the same time it's boring. :shrug:

I know.
I couldn't just let that go. :lol:

I agree.
Millionaire was fun.
This just seems like.... meh, weird.