Late Term

Grade Distribution

Part of the homework for CS:2820, Spring 2021
by Douglas W. Jones
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA Department of Computer Science

Homeworks/Quizzes 1-11

Note: In the final grade, only the highest 10 scores will count toward the final grade. The remaining low scores will be dropped. No scores have been dropped here, so final homework scores may actually be a little lower than is shown here.

                            X X
                            X X
                          X X X
mean   = 30.20            X X X
                      X   X X X     X X  
                      X X X X X     X X X
                      X X X X X X X X X X
                      X X X X X X X X X X X     X
                    X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
 __X_X_X______X___X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X___
  0 . 4 . 8. 12. 16. 20. 24. 28. 32. 36. 40. 44. 48. 52

Machine Problems 1-10

Note: In the final grade, only the highest 10 scores will count toward the final grade. The remaining low scores will be dropped. This has not yet been done, and with 2 machine problems remaining, new scores should slightly raise the lower scores given here.

                                          X
Mean   = 30.55                            X X 
                                          X X
                    X         X   X       X X
                    X       X X   X   X   X X
       X          X X X     X X   X   X X X X
   X   X          X X X     X X   X   X X X X X   X
   X   X          X X X   X X X X X   X X X X X X X
 __X___X_X_X____X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_____
  0 . 4 . 8. 12. 16. 20. 24. 28. 32. 36. 40. 44. 48. 52

Note that machine problem 5, where an extra week was given and the total score was doubled, was graded as two machine problems, MP5 (issues of style and input format) and MP6 (issues of data structure).

Total Homework plus Machine Problem Scores

Mean   = 60.01                       X
                                   X X           X     X
X                      X X         X X           X   X X         X
X  X                   X X X       X X           X   X X X       X X
X  X           X       X X X X X X X X X X   X X X   X X X       X X X
X__X_X_X_X_____X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X___X___
  24. 28. 32. 36. 40. 44. 48. 52. 56. 60. 64. 68. 72. 76. 80. 84. 88. 92. 96
F    -     D     +     -     C     +     -     B     +     -     A     +

This close to the end of the semester, with several homework assignments and one machine problem not yet due, students in the C and D range have the potential to bring their scores up by as much as 15 points (3 5-point assignments) by replacing low scores with higher values.

Note: Cutoffs for the borders between letter grades are not final here.

Note: The scores shown on the right margin above include 3 scores below 5 and one score of 16.