Day 21: Common Core Math isn't Common Sense

Homework should be increasingly independent work after kindergarten. My kids are constantly asking me "Did I do this right?" and "What do I do here?" I remind them that they CAN do the work, they DO know the answer, they have what it takes to do it themselves. Which leaves me feeling really kind of mean when they bring home work like this:

No wonder he thinks he's no good at math.

It's not the French that's troublesome, by the way. He's good with that part. But it reads: 

"Tom is thinking of a number. His number is 10 more than 35. Which number is he thinking of?"

Have 3 weeks on our own stunted our thinking? Or are there no good options, here? 
Which reminds me of a blog that I saw just yesterday called "Common Core is Making me Stupider." And I'm starting to think that might be the truth!