The Financial Riddler 3-5-23

Riddle Me This!

Sorry for the lag in Riddler posting. Been busy suggesting how China can end Putin’s war , listing, together with Terry Savage, Social Security horror stories, providing a true picture of our country’s extreme fiscal insolvency (but also ways to resolve it), and warning all current and future Social Security beneficiaries to beware the system’s egregious clawbacks of overpayments due to Social Security’s own mistakes. I’ve also been recording more great podcasts that are coming your way.

1. For every 100 scientists or engineers the U.S. graduates, China graduates

   a. 27

   b. 49

   c. 81

   d. 128

   e. 230

   f. 319

And the answer is …

The answer is 230. China’s population is 4.2 larger than that of the U.S. Hence, this comparison could be and will surely get worse. And we’re not just falling behind China when it comes to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) training.

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2. Among advanced country, the U.S. ranking in educational quality is

   a. 1st

   b. 2nd

   c. 5th

   d. 9th

   e. 11th

   f. 21st

And the answer is …

The answer is 21st. Guess who ranks #1? China.

3. Our 15 year-olds rank ? in math compared with 15 year olds in other countries.

   a. 1st

   b. 2nd

   c. 5th

   d. 9th

   e. 11th

   f. 21st

   g. 30th

And the answer is …

The answer is 30th. Wait. It gets worse. Our 15 year-olds score below the global average in the international PISA math test, which is administered by the OECD.

4. Our 15 year-olds rank ? in science compared with 15 year olds in other countries.

   a. 1st

   b. 2nd

   c. 5th

   d. 9th

   e. 11th

   f. 21st

   g. 30th

And the answer is …

The answer is 11th. That’s better than math. But the average 15 year-old American’s PISA science score is only slightly above the global average.

5. As for reading, our 4th graders rank ? internationally.

   a. 1st

   b. 2nd

   c. 3rd

   d. 7th

   e. 16th

   f. 21st

   g. 30th

And the answer is …

The answer is a miserable 16th. Maybe there’s a reason our kids aren’t achieving. Maybe our education system is failing.

6. What share of middle school math teachers aren’t qualified to teach math?

   a. 5 percent

   b. 13 percent

   c. 19 percent

   d. 21 percent

   e. 27 percent

   g. 39 percent

And the answer is …

The answer is a 39 percent. This is the proportion of middle school math teachers with no formal training in math as evidenced by a degree or certificate.

7. What share of American high school grads who go to college end up dropping out ?

   a. 15 percent

   b. 21 percent

   c. 40 percent

   d. 52 percent

And the answer is …

The answer is 40 percent. Worse, many college dropouts did so after borrowing for the privilege at Uncle Sam’s usurious federal student loan rates.

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