Here’s a question not specifically about this homework that I’ve gotten a couple of times over the past couple of days: What does √ really mean as a homework score?

I have been grading the homeworks on essentially a five point scale, which are given in symbols as a mark between √++ (doubleplusgood) and √−− (doubleplusunugood), inclusive.

However, do not assume that a √, being in the middle of the scale, translates to something like the letter grade “D”—it doesn’t.

The way I treat these, if you average between a √ and √+, you’ll still probably have some flavor of “A” for a homework grade. I think of √ as more like a “B”. So, don’t panic! The homework can be difficult, and I am a relatively reasonable person, as people go. If you get a √− or lower on something, then it should serve as an indication that something wasn’t understood and there’s something to work on, but it certainly won’t doom your course grade, even if it isn’t one of the ones that is dropped at the end.