Full Points For Trying

I am taking a Calc 1 test in the Student Assessment Center (I have ADD and am allowed double time for exams as a result), and it just so happens to be the day before my 21st birthday. For kicks and giggles, I decide to write on the front of the test, “I’m turning 21 tomorrow. B-Day bonus points, please? :)” as a joke, not expecting anything to come of it.

On a semi-related note, one of the questions on the front gave us a graph and, among other things, wanted us to list at what points the derivative of the function, labeled as “f'(x)”, equaled 0. Unfortunately, I and several others didn’t see the apostrophe and thought it was asking for what points “f(x)” equaled 0. Many facepalms were had when he went over this (and some other problem questions, but that was the real “duh” moment) on the board before handing back the tests.

However, when I got mine back, I noticed that my note was circled, he had drawn an arrow between it and the incorrectly answered problem, and he had written “I won’t count off. There are your free points! =)” next to it.

It was only two or three points, not even enough to change the letter grade, but I was still surprised that he had actually gone through with it.