Why is it that the #2 pencil is the standard for most schools and exams?
341963
Simple:  Graphite is mixed with various amounts of clay in order to create different values of pigment.  \nThe lead "hardness" ranges from HB (super soft and DARK pigment -the higher the # followed by HB, the softer the clay with a higher content of graphite) to high #'s (not followed by an HB).  The higher the # on the opposite side of the scale, the harder the clay with diminishing amounts of graphite.  \n\nA #2 pencil has just the right amount of pigment to be read by scan-tron machines and is easier to erase than darker leads when mistakes are made.
829625
Not sure why now.....but years ago when my kids were learning to write   all the specialists said if you think they are tending towards left-handed..........hand them everything in their right hand   pencil, fork, etc.   Seems they used to think left-handed was not a good thing, and it was better to teach them to be righty's.
224293
The answer to this question depends on what state you're in, but I'll explain the idea behind it. \n\nUsually, standardized tests have different versions to help deter cheating.  These tests supposedly go through quite a few tests themselves to make sure that the questions are reliable and valid - fancy words meaning that one test doesn't have questions that are harder than another test.  \n\nTechnically, each of these versions should be the same difficulty.  Of course, with different questions there's always a chance you'd have done better or worse with a different test.  \n\nAnother advantage to different versions is that if for some reason you need to retake the test, you can take a different version -- this wouldn't be possible if all the versions were the same because you'd already know what was on the test.
18116
Pencils are made industrially by mixing finely ground graphite and clay powders, adding water, forming long spaghetti-like strings, and firing them in a kiln. The resulting strings are dipped in oil or molten wax which seeps into the tiny holes of the material, resulting in smoother writing. A juniper or incense-cedar plank with several long parallel grooves is cut to make something called a slat, and the graphite/clay strings are inserted into the grooves. Another grooved plank is glued on top, and the whole thing is then cut into individual pencils, which are then varnished or painted.\n\nMany pencils, particularly those used by artists, are labelled on the European system using a scale from "H" (for hardness) to "B" (for blackness), as well as "F" (for fine point). The standard writing pencil is "HB". However, artist's pencils can vary widely in order to provide a range of marks for different visual effects on the page. A set of art pencils ranging from a very hard, light-marking pencil to a very soft, black-marking pencil usually ranges from hardest to softest as follows:\n\n9H 8H 7H 6H 5H 4H 3H 2H H F HB B 2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B \n\nThis translates between American and European ranges thusly:\n\nU.S.      Europe\n#1     =     B\n#2     =    HB   (most common)\n#2 1/2 =     F   (also seen as 2 4/8, 2.5, 2 5/10,   due to patent issues)\n#3     =     H\n#4     =    2H\n\nSo, as you see, the #2 pencil is used because it is a "lead" density that isn't too hard or too soft for writing in standard writing use.\n\nI am an artist and use all of these various types of pencils.  \n\nBTW, there is no actual Lead in pencils.  That is a myth.
239733
Yes... it's not particularly a great indicator of everything, but necessary for comparing scores with other areas.\n\nIf there was no standardization, an A in Vermont could be an E in Maine.
188818
I dont think there are ANY advantages.\n\nI condemn use of calculators in primary school. The kids must know how to add, subtract manually, by using their fingers, and most imoortantly BRAIN ! it must develop as they are so young. It will be good for them in the future.\n\nP.S. I have seen 16-18 yr olds finding 2+2 using a calculator.
22056
There's a chamber filled with several pencil leads, along with a little funnel with a hole at the end. What ends up happening is that a lead gets into the hole and falls through (Graphite is a very good lubricant). Whenever you click the eraser, or a button on the side, it hits a spring that pushes the lead forward just a little bit. Another type of mechanical pencil allows you to spin the tip to get more lead out, but that one simply works like a screw.
1043128
Pen and pencil will have equal significance as it has now. Mere technology cant replace them.
294583
Standardized tests are an excellent way to measure progress and academic acumen objectively when school standards and teaching vary so much from area to area.  Getting an A in some schools is not the equivalent of an A in others.....and standardized tests are a means to compare results fairly.  Some groups (mostly special interest/minority groups) complain that the tests are biased because those groups have lower test results.  The SAT has even changed over the years because of these complaints.  I think these communities would be better served solving the problems of their schools then complaining about the test results personally.  The big issue facing success in poor vs. rich schools is property taxes fund public schools.  If you're in a wealthy district you have much better class room resources.  There are other considerations that are directly related to this.....in urban schools the tendency is to recieve more state/federal money for faking attendance and pass records.  Because of this being used as a funding determinant.....schools lie about them....the Bush No Child Left Behind Act furthers this in principle.  The problem isn't standardizing test results differing with social/racial classes...the problem is why they differ.  But it's a lot easier to complain about standardized test objectivity than it is to say the urban schools are failing and come up with complicated solutions.  Or for some minority communities to deal with their internal problems and causes for the disparity.
216667
Yup.  It's new this year.  There isnt an example test available just yet.  [my wife is a special ed asst in 3rd grade NYstate]
171784
Standards are set by the district, state and federal goverments.  They are a listing of the different skills and knowledge a student should have for each grade year (1st through 12th) in particular subjects: English/Language arts, Math, Social Science, Science, and sometimes others.  The grading system reports how successfully the child has acquired and can utilize the knowledge and skills.
23602
Finals are ostensibly used to test your aggregate knowledge of the subject.  Realistically, many teachers use them to offer students a chance to improve their grades or simply because the school system demands that they implement them.
37899
In the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand they use a 5 point letter system so logically it should be A, B, C, D, E , Where E would represent failure (u see where this is going) Since f is the next letter they decided to let F represent Failure instead of E.\nWhere i'm from there is are grades a b c d e and u for unclassified in College (wherea-e are passes and u is failure) but in Highschool and before we dont use letters rather we use percentages.
469789
Yes, there are all different numbers of pencils.  #1 is very hard.  ranges from 1-10 10 being the softest!
1086675
No it's not really, but you're meant to write it down in slightly increasing size ie: small 1 through to large 4. It's a psychological test. people avoid choosing 1 & 4 because they're too obvious in extremes and two is weeny, so that only leaves 3 which conveniently fits quite well. \nI've made quite a lot of money in pubs 'reading' people's minds with this trick
354988
**calms the people down**\n\nHonestly, we've had trends like this for years and years. This is what continues to make school systems all over the country continually adjust their curriculums. This is a good thing. This is not a panic situation. Let me see if I can explain......\n\nDo you remember when we were young and they introduced "New Math?" It was always the brunt of many jokes because people then wanted to know how it differed from the "old math." But it was a trend. The true basis of the trend was in upping the awareness of the necessity of math. We were moving toward metric; we were using measurement and applied mathematics. And with awareness......science and math scores rose. Then what happened? We felt deficits in reading and writing. So what was the trend then? "WHOLE LANGUAGE!" This catch phrase was used throughout the land. Incorporating reading and writing into an integrated whole language approach. Was this really much different from what we were already doing? Not so much. But did it raise awareness of the need? Absolutely! So my first point is that trends of math scores and language scores vying for top marks has been around for years and years. \n\nNow on to proficiency levels. This is good news as well. As a whole, our population's testing scores have risen. So happens as a result? Well.....we need a statistics expert here to explain this more accurately than myself. But surely my novice explanation might make a bit of sense. As scores as a whole rise, the median score rises. What once was above average performance may now only fall in the "average" range because of the rise in scores as a whole. Naturally as the proficiency level rises.....a great population is then put into a lower achievement level. (does this make sense at all?) The media often pounce on this. Perhaps to have news to report to scare the beejeezus out of everyone, or again, to help with "awareness." But regardless, it puts people that are not involved in education in a panic mode. Proficiency tests don't always measure achievement. And luckily enough, schools do. :) We use these scores yearly as a checks and balances system to make sure that skills are being taught and learned. We use them to notice changes in childrens levels and abilities as well. \n\nNow about your question. pfffffft don't worry! The "nerdis Americanus" is still alive and living within us. I'm afraid we'll keep breeding them over and over for years to come! :)\n\n*sniffs and pushes her glasses up on her nose**
426121
In Rome, scribes wrote on papyrus (an early form of paper) with a thin metal rod called a stylus, which left a light but readable mark. Other early styluses were made of lead. Today we still call the core of a pencil the "lead" even though it is made from nontoxic graphite.  (Lead is toxic and leaches right through your skin, so it's not a great choice for a writing implement!)\n\nGraphite came into widespread use following the discovery of a large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England in 1564. Graphite left a darker mark than lead, but was so soft and brittle that it required a holder. At first, sticks of graphite were wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was inserted into wooden sticks that had been hollowed-out by hand! The wood-cased pencil was born.