Based on the material, he should have received an A. Because the instructor graded on a curve, he was given a C.

The interesting thing: why grade on a curve? If you know 90% or 91% of what a class (or individual exam) asks, then you should get an A-, or whatever. He got the C because nobody in the class was challenged by the material.

I believe grades should be based on knowledge of the material, not on knowledge compared to classmates. In any given class, a student could find himself alongside geniuses, or idiots, and his grade would be falsely moved up or down — when a curve is used.

16. When the semester concluded, Plaintiff finished with response papers of 5.4, 4. 4.5 (out of possible 5s) equaling 17.5% out of a possible 20%; exam papers of 23, 22.50: 19.50 (out of possible 25%) equaling 65% out of a possible 75%; and 5 percent for class participation. a) The difference of 17.5% from 20:% equals 3.5%, b) the difference of 65% from 75% equals 10%; thus 10%
plus 3.5% equals 13.5% minus 10% equals 87.5% and c) 5% for class participation equates into a 92.5% (87.5% plus 5%) out of a possible 100% numeric grade, translating, by universally accepled standards, into an “A-” letter grade.