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  <title id="t">When a Curve Helps — and When It Hurts</title><desc id="d">Two panels: on a hard exam with a low mean a curve lifts an above-average score, while on an easy exam with a high mean a curve caps the number of A grades.</desc>
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  <text class="ttl" x="32" y="42">When a Curve Helps — and When It Hurts</text>
  <text class="sub" x="32" y="64">The same student, two different class distributions</text>
  <text class="lblb" x="20" y="96">Hard exam → a curve helps</text><text class="muts" x="20" y="116">Low mean: your score sits well above average, lifting your grade.</text><line class="axis" x1="20" y1="300" x2="320" y2="300"/><path class="f1" d="M 34.8 300 L 34.8 294.9 L 36.8 294.4 L 38.8 293.8 L 40.8 293.2 L 42.8 292.5 L 44.8 291.7 L 46.8 290.9 L 48.8 290.1 L 50.8 289.2 L 52.8 288.2 L 54.8 287.1 L 56.8 286 L 58.8 284.8 L 60.8 283.5 L 62.8 282.1 L 64.8 280.6 L 66.8 279.1 L 68.8 277.4 L 70.8 275.7 L 72.8 273.9 L 74.8 271.9 L 76.8 269.9 L 78.8 267.8 L 80.8 265.6 L 82.8 263.2 L 84.8 260.8 L 86.8 258.3 L 88.8 255.7 L 90.8 253 L 92.8 250.2 L 94.8 247.3 L 96.8 244.3 L 98.8 241.3 L 100.8 238.1 L 102.8 234.9 L 104.8 231.7 L 106.8 228.3 L 108.8 225 L 110.8 221.5 L 112.8 218.1 L 114.8 214.6 L 116.8 211.1 L 118.8 207.6 L 120.8 204.1 L 122.8 200.6 L 124.8 197.2 L 126.8 193.8 L 128.8 190.4 L 130.8 187.1 L 132.8 183.9 L 134.8 180.7 L 136.8 177.7 L 138.8 174.7 L 140.8 171.9 L 142.8 169.2 L 144.8 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text-anchor="middle">mean</text><line class="vline" x1="242.8" y1="243.7" x2="242.8" y2="300" stroke="var(--br)"/><circle cx="242.8" cy="243.7" r="4" fill="var(--br)"/><text class="muts" x="242.8" y="231.7" text-anchor="middle" fill="var(--br)" font-weight="700">your score</text><line x1="380" y1="80" x2="380" y2="330" class="grid"/><text class="lblb" x="400" y="96">Easy exam → a curve can hurt</text><text class="muts" x="400" y="116">High mean: only the top ~10% get an A, so strong scores get capped.</text><line class="axis" x1="400" y1="300" x2="700" y2="300"/><path class="f3" d="M 414.8 300 L 414.8 294.9 L 416.8 294.4 L 418.8 293.8 L 420.8 293.2 L 422.8 292.5 L 424.8 291.7 L 426.8 290.9 L 428.8 290.1 L 430.8 289.2 L 432.8 288.2 L 434.8 287.1 L 436.8 286 L 438.8 284.8 L 440.8 283.5 L 442.8 282.1 L 444.8 280.6 L 446.8 279.1 L 448.8 277.4 L 450.8 275.7 L 452.8 273.9 L 454.8 271.9 L 456.8 269.9 L 458.8 267.8 L 460.8 265.6 L 462.8 263.2 L 464.8 260.8 L 466.8 258.3 L 468.8 255.7 L 470.8 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