Testing. Be sure to use a number two pencil.

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Just why do they say this? A kid would have to go out of their way not to have one.

I don't think I've even seen a pencil of another number. Do they have 1's, 3's? 52's?

No.2 pencil is actually the only one listed by number.

It's like the "Base" in art terms, and I think it's some form of a scale that shows how brittle or smooth a pencil is. That just happens to be the one that's most widely used outside of art.

In certain art classes or drafting classes (prior to computers), there are many lead hardnesses. with a no 2 being near middle hardness. Higher numbers are harder and write more faintly and the softer leads write darker but smudge a lot more easily.

There are a lot of lead hardnesses in pencils here. The "B" pencils are the soft ones. The ones I've seen range from 8B at the very softest, to "B". Then there's HB in the middle, and the "H" pencils, which are hard. I think 5H is the hardest I've seen.

I actually liked writing with a harder pencil. As for why it says only use #2 I think it is becuase that is what it detects when scanning your answers.

Actually, there used to be a numbered system of which the number 2 pencil was a member. I'm not sure if anyone still uses the system anymore. I can't find any sets of them online now, but I remember my father used to have sets with both types of grading. Some sets were numbered 1 through 6 (or maybe even 8, it's hard to remember now). The others were the number/letter systems more commonly found today.

He worked as a draftsman and artist for many years.

Number 2 just happened to be the most commonly used for writing and schools always had them. But they did have other hardnesses when I was in school too, and it wasn't that uncommon for students to bring other numbered pencils in. They always had to insists number 2's be used because all the form test answer sheets would be read by computers. Harder pencils didn't leave a dark enough mark for the readers, and softer ones could foul up the readers from the smudging.

Must be just a habit to continue insisting on number 2's these days, because it is practically the only available pencil unless you go to the art sections at the stores.

EDIT: Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure there was a zero pencil too.

If a test requires you to use a number 2 pencil, it's probably going to be marked by an automatic program on a computer (or so I would assume.). The programs work when your answer sheet is scanned into the computer and the marks are registered by the program. Marks made by a lighter pencil wouldn't be picked up, and darker marks might be smudged out of the registered "shape".

(sorry if this isn't what you meant.)