Mechanical pencils are mostly #2.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But nobody calls them #2 pencils.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

just because no one calls it #2 doesn't mean you won't be allowed to use it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

My point is that since pretty much every pencil is #2, mechanical or not, why does it matter that they specifically say, "you need a number two pencil for this test." Why not just, "pencils only for this test"?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

#2 actually refers to the lead, so they're just telling you to get any pencil that has the #2 lead, so if they were to say "pencils only for this test" you could have a pencil with a lead that scantron (I assume this is the kind of test that you're referring to) doesn't recognize.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

My teachers made us all hold our pencils up in the air and confiscated anything that wasn't a #2.

by Anonymous 12 years ago