No real reason to post this; it's just not every day that the Number 2 Pencil makes the news:
The No. 2 pencil is ideal for computer-graded tests because it contains the perfect combination of lead darkness and hardness and is reflective enough to be picked up by a scanner, said Tim Loomer from Scantron Corp. The No. 2 is in between the No. 1 and the No. 3 in darkness and level of shine, making it the pencil of choice.
"If you did a mark with a 1, 2 and 3 pencil, each one will get progressively darker; as you go from 1 to 3, each one will get progressively shinier; and each one will get progressively softer," Loomer said. "The number 2 is the ideal blend for the technology that optical mark readers use, because it's got the perfect amount of reflective quality from the graphite and it is also really easy to erase."
Must have been a SLOW news day at the Associated Press...but I think I've got my new tagline. "Number 2 Pencil - the ideal amount of reflective quality!"
Posted by kswygert at August 27, 2004 08:42 PM