Physics I Test Results: 5 out of 22 Passed with Scores Ranging from 70-85

[RadiationX]

only 5 people out of 22 people passed a physics test we took last week. the passing scores ranged from 70 to 85, i made a 65.I'm attending a community college and the test was supposedly on par with test given at FSU and UF. the test was given in multiple choice format and during the test i thought that i was doing well because i was coming up with solutions that were answer choices. when i got my test back i was shocked at my score. the test mostly covered projectile motion. i know one test doesn't determine how smart you are, i made an 84 on the previous test. but should i be worried about passing the class? i love math and physics, but my score humbled me today. i'd just like some feedback to this thread.

 

[JasonRox]

I'd be happy about passing if only 5 passed.

 

[RadiationX]

i didn't pass jasonrox

 

[kdinser]

Sounds like the results of my first diff eq test. 28 people in the class, 5 people got 80% or higher. Strange, about 5 people in the class are taking it for the 2nd or 3rd time. 13 people failed it outright. 3 people got c's and 7 got d's.

I wouldn't worry about it, your probably learning the material. The answers on a multiple choice test like that are going to be set up to expose any careless mistakes you make. Reversing a sign, eliminating a constant or variable that you can't, and common setup mistakes, are all things that a professor will use. Pay very close attention to units, if there are 2 answers with the same value, but different unit's, watch out. It just means that you need to be more careful while working the problems.

When it comes to math and physics, multiple choice tests are much harder then the regular kind. It totally destroys any chance for partial credit.

 

[RadiationX]

thanks for the response, and yes there are people in the class who are taking it for the second time. but what their scores were i don't know

 

[ek]

65 isn't a pass? Your school must be REALLY easy.

65 is a B- here.

 

[john_in_pdx]

Don't fret. My first test in Physics (Projectile Motion Problems mostly) was a D+.

You'll recover. ANd yes, I'll agree that multiple choice tests suck. They can be a crap-shoot sometimes.

 

[learningphysics]

only 5 people out of 22 people passed a physics test we took last week. the passing scores ranged from 70 to 85, i made a 65.I'm attending a community college and the test was supposedly on par with test given at FSU and UF. the test was given in multiple choice format and during the test i thought that i was doing well because i was coming up with solutions that were answer choices. when i got my test back i was shocked at my score. the test mostly covered projectile motion. i know one test doesn't determine how smart you are, i made an 84 on the previous test. but should i be worried about passing the class? i love math and physics, but my score humbled me today. i'd just like some feedback to this thread.

This sounds like the SAT type questions where a careless mistake can result in one of the wrong choices.

I really dislike these types of tests. It works alright for the SAT because the problems are small in size. But for physics problems with multiple steps, I really think it's a poor way to test a student's understanding of the material.

I highly recommend getting the solutions to the test, and finding out what your mistakes were. Go through the test several times. Try to eliminate careless mistakes.

Go through your homework problems several times, till you can always get the correct answer (and you eliminate careless mistakes)

 

[gravenewworld]

I always found that multiple choice tests in math and science tend to be the hardest ones.