Assigning Homework

Theorem: The longer the homework "looks," the more whining there will be.

For example:

p. 102 #1-15 (Total of 15 questions) Won't get much whining

BUT

p. 105

#2-6 even

#7-10 all

#13-17 odd

#21, 22, 25

(Total of 13 questions) Will get complaints galore...even if you deliberately split up the assignment to have FEWER questions.

Scenario of the day:

Today I assigned

#2-12 even

#13-15 all

#16-22 even

#29-34 all

and I had a girl whine: "36 questions!!! Oh my gosh that's so much!"

my response: "uhh...the numbers are all between 2 and 34...and I didn't even assign all the problems between 2 and 34...How'd you get 36?"

girl: oh...

Then, I had two separate students count how many questions there actually are and both counted incorrectly...><>