May 11, 2010

What SAT Stands For

Today was an MCAS day for my kids (Massachusetts's standardized testing at school). A little discussion of such tests lead to one of the conversations that my kids hate to have with me:

Anthony: "What does SAT stand for?"

Me: "SAT Aptitude Test."

Anthony: "Hm, but then what does SAT stand for?"

Me: "SAT Aptitude Test.... S.A.T. S - SAT, A - Aptitude, T - Test."

Anthony: "But why SAT?"

Me: "It tests your aptitude for taking the SAT."

Anthony: "I'm just going to look it up on the Internet."

(By the way, Anthony, it's true. Here it is on the Internet, right here.)

Posted by David at May 11, 2010 10:32 PM
Comments

Sounds like you need the Self-Referential Aptitude Test, available at http://www.maa.org/mathhorizons/Puzzles/Feb05-SRAT/original_puzzle.htm among other places.

Posted by: Joshua Zucker at June 3, 2010 12:45 AM
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