Suppose Your Professor Has Announced to the Class That She

question 16

Essay

Suppose your professor has announced to the class that she grades on a curve. The top scorer and those who score at least 95% of his or her score get an A, the next lower five percent (90 - 95% of his or her score) get a B, the next lower five percent (85 - 90% of his score) get a C, and so on. While studying in the library, you see a number of people from the class gathered together, and wander over to see what they are talking about. One of the students is proposing to the others that a cartel be formed. "It will be really easy to make sure we all get A's," he says to the others. "All we need to do is agree on a percentage score low enough that anyone can get it, and all get around the same score ... and then she'll have to give us all As! I propose we all try to get a score of 50 percent."
Offer several reasons why the professor need not be overly concerned that such a plot will ever be successful and ruin the integrity of her grading system. Briefly explain what this example has to do with oligopoly theory.

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Definitions:

Gray Wolf

A species of canid native to remote areas of North America, Eurasia, and North Africa, known for its role as a top predator in the ecosystem.

Clade

A group of organisms containing a common ancestor and all its descendants; a monophyletic group.

Common Ancestor

The latest common ancestor shared directly by all members in a specific group.

Organisms

Any individual living thing that can react to stimuli, reproduce, grow, and maintain homeostasis.