Does This ED Tech Screening Question Seem Odd?

[ambz13]

Okay, so I was recently contacted by a nurse recruiter for a local hospital about an ED Tech job. I was thrilled since I have been wanting this particular job for the part 3-4 years.

So everything is going well and she wants to schedule an interview for the following week, but I have to complete a screening test.

This had the typical personality, reading, and math questions. Math and reading about 1 min per question timed. Except-- I came across one of the 7 or so math questions they had and this was it (verbatim):

If the measure, in degrees, of the three angles of a triangle are x, x+10, and 2x-6, the triangle must be...

a)iscosceles

b)equalateral

c)right

d)scalene

Honestly, I've only been out of high school for about 5 years, but what on earth!!?! I could not remember how to do this. Nevertheless, I did not get to schedule an interview because I got this wrong. The other questions were basic +/- x/dividing, decimals, etc. that were very simple and straightforward that I definitely got right.

My big question: How does this question adequately screen whether or not someone is a good fit for an ED Tech job?

I would appreciate any thoughts

-a

[rjflyn, ASN, RN]

Most are looking for a certain personality type but anyone can BS at test. What you can't is a first impression. Can tell if someone is going to fit you mix with in the first 5 mins or not. The questions you ask are just because you have to.

x+(x+10)+(2x-6)=270

x=66

Nope.

x + (x+10) + (2x-6) = 180

4x + 4 = 180

x = 44

angles are 44, 54, and 76... so the triangle is scalene.

However, like many multiple choice tests, it could be answered by inspection and a basic knowledge of word roots...

ISO means "same" and clearly the three angles are not the same, regardless of the value of x... since the angles are not the same, the sides can't be the same so it can't be isoscelese

EQUI means "equal" and "LATERAL" means side... since none of the angles are equal, the sides can't be the same.

The right triangle is harder to rule out without knowing that the sum of the angles of a triangle is 180 but if you try to sketch the triangle with one of the angles being 90, you'll find it impossible to make the other angles work.

It has to be scalene...

The point is, it's not directly related to anything a doc, nurse, medic, or tech would *need* to know but it does reveal something about one's basic education and reasoning skills.