Calculate Test Points: 5 for Correct, -2 for Wrong, -4 for Unattempted Answers

Score Calculation with Mixed Point Values

In a mathematics class, the teacher decided to award the following:

  • 5 points for each correct answer

  • -2 points for each incorrect answer

  • -4 points for each unattempted question

There were 20 questions in the exam.

How many points did students get who got 15 questions right, 2 questions wrong, and who left 3 questions unsolved?

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

In a mathematics class, the teacher decided to award the following:

  • 5 points for each correct answer

  • -2 points for each incorrect answer

  • -4 points for each unattempted question

There were 20 questions in the exam.

How many points did students get who got 15 questions right, 2 questions wrong, and who left 3 questions unsolved?

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Calculate the points from the correct answers
  • Step 2: Calculate the points from the incorrect answers
  • Step 3: Calculate the points for the unattempted questions
  • Step 4: Sum all the points to find the final score

Now, let's work through each step:

Step 1: The student answered 15 questions correctly.
The points from correct answers are calculated as follows:
5×15=75 5 \times 15 = 75 points.

Step 2: The student answered 2 questions incorrectly.
The points from incorrect answers are calculated as follows:
2×2=4-2 \times 2 = -4 points.

Step 3: The student left 3 questions unattempted.
The points from unattempted questions are calculated as follows:
4×3=12-4 \times 3 = -12 points.

Step 4: Add all the points from the above scenarios:
Total points = (Points from correct answers) + (Points from incorrect answers) + (Points from unattempted questions)
Total points = 75+(4)+(12)=75412=59 75 + (-4) + (-12) = 75 - 4 - 12 = 59 .

Therefore, the student's final score is 59 59 .

3

Final Answer

59 59

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Scoring Rule: Multiply each answer type by its point value
  • Technique: Calculate separately: 15×5 = 75, 2×(-2) = -4, 3×(-4) = -12
  • Check: Verify total questions add up: 15 + 2 + 3 = 20 questions ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Adding negative points as positive values
    Don't add -4 and -12 as +4 and +12 = inflated score of 91! This ignores the penalty system completely. Always keep negative signs when adding wrong and unattempted points.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Solve the following exercise:

\( (+6)\cdot(+9)= \)

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why are unattempted questions penalized more than wrong answers?

+

This encourages students to attempt every question! Getting -2 for a wrong guess is better than -4 for not trying. It rewards effort and educated guessing.

Do I need to check if all questions are accounted for?

+

Yes, always verify! The number of correct + incorrect + unattempted should equal the total questions. In this case: 15+2+3=20 15 + 2 + 3 = 20 questions.

What if I get a negative total score?

+

That's possible with this scoring system! If you get many wrong or skip too many questions, your penalties can exceed your correct points. This teaches the importance of preparation.

Can I solve this in a different order?

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Absolutely! You can calculate wrong answers first, then correct, then unattempted. The final sum will be the same regardless of calculation order.

How do I remember which points go with which answers?

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Make a simple chart: Correct = +5, Wrong = -2, Skipped = -4. The negative signs show these are penalties, while positive shows rewards.

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