> While the average score for the accounting test was 32
> percent, that question on retained earnings undistributed
> earnings that have not been paid out to stockholders or
> transferred to a surplus account was answered correctly by
> fewer than 20 percent.

At the risk of stating the completely obvious, assuming that testees were
presented with five choices instead of the usual four, that is still worse
than the results we might expect if retained earnings had not even been
discussed, and attendees chose their answer at random.

This assumes that 80 students is large enough to approximate statistical
distribution, and that the teacher did not do a fine job of confusing
everyone. However, it seems that most of them should have known the correct
answer, walking in the door.

Greg Stigers
http://www.cgiusa.com

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