Diary, 11 August '98

In Sophomore English Comp. class today at San Francisco State U.:

STUDENT:  What grade did I get on this essay?
PROF.:    Your grade was 20 out of 25, as I wrote on your top page.
STUDENT:  I see, but what grade is that?
PROF.:    Oh, you mean LETTER grade.  80 to 89 percent is a "B."
STUDENT:  So, ... what grade did I get?
PROF.:    You got 20 out of 25.  Translate that into a percentage, and
	  then you'll know.

  (blank stare from student)

PROF.:    Do you know how to translate 20/25 into a percentage, or are
	  you one of the innumerate?
STUDENT:  I don't really know, I guess.
PROF.:    You have no idea ?!
STUDENT:  Well, I mean I actually DO, but I'm just kind of tired today.
PROF.:    How many twenty-fives are there in a hundred?
STUDENT:  Four.
PROF.:    Good, if you have to multiply the 25 by 4 to get a hundred, then
	  what do you . . . .

	  .
	  .
	  .

  (conversation continues a while)

	  .
	  .
	  .

PROF.:    And you still don't know?!  Okay, you got a B.