Question

If grading was done strictly according to the normal curve,

a) A fixed percentage of students would receive each grade
b) The majority of students would receive a failing grade
c) Only a few students would receive high grades
d) All students would receive a passing grade

Answer 1

If grading was done strictly according to the normal curve, a fixed percentage of students would receive each grade, only a few students would receive high grades, and the majority of students would receive a failing grade. The correct answer is c) Only a few students would receive high grades.

Step-by-step explanation:

If grading was done strictly according to the normal curve:

1. A fixed percentage of students would receive each grade. In the normal curve, grades are distributed in a bell-shaped curve, with a fixed percentage of students falling in each grade category.
2. Only a few students would receive high grades. As the normal curve is symmetrical, the majority of students are likely to fall in the middle grades, and only a small percentage of students would receive high grades.
3. The majority of students would receive a failing grade. Again, as the normal curve is symmetrical, a significant percentage of students are likely to fall in the lower grades, resulting in a majority of students receiving a failing grade.

The normal distribution is characterized by two parameters: the mean and the standard deviation. Grades are mapped in a way such that certain percentages of students fall within specific segments of the curve based on standard deviations from the mean. For instance, a common model might grant A's to the top 10% of scores, B's to the next 20%, C's to the middle 40%, D's to the next 20%, and F's to the bottom 10%.