It's like they want you to lose marks? They do want you to lose marks. Even a small point difference can create a significant variance in test scores. They need students as far apart as possible (this is especially true if your tests are curved). Thus, the students who are meticulous in their wording and careful in their planning are the ones who get the points.

But why? How does it help anyone? Employers have a wrong view of your knowledge and it screws over the teachers (who mind you are judged by the end result) and the students. Unless there's this sadistic middle man, why would you purposefully want to screw over students, just to distance themselves?

Totally agree. The only time wording should be that relevant is English or large papers/essays/reports/etc, where you have to be technical and professional and whatnot.

Now, the Lead Nitrate solubility thing is total bullshit unless the question specifically said to compare it to other Lead compounds.

@@Evilshy, 

The question specifically said and I quote

"Student B decided to precipitate the Lead (II) ions in the hair dye as lead (II) Nitrate. However, he did not produce any precipitate.

Explain why no precipitate of Lead(II) Nitrate formed.

I answered: Lead(II) Nitrate is a highly soluble compound in water and thus will be in an aqueous state and not a solid state. Therefore it cannot filtered (reading the question, this part of the answer is superfluous, but I didn't lose marks on this part).

But why? How does it help anyone? Employers have a wrong view of your knowledge and it screws over the teachers (who mind you are judged by the end result) and the students. Unless there's this sadistic middle man, why would you purposefully want to screw over students, just to distance themselves?

It's all in the name of fairness. I don't know about your tests (since you said maths, I'm assuming you're not American), but the tests here are curved (based on a normal distribution). Only the top few (say, those in the 95th percentile) get As. In high school, there are the SAT, ACT, and AP tests, which are heavily dependent on the curving system. A single wrong answer on a harsh curve can set you back 20 points, meaning that a competing test taker might get one more right and have a 790 over your 770. That's a big difference. And in college, practically all tests are curved.

Test grading is actually a very complex process, and there are so many students who might be taking a test. In order for some to truly stand out, the test needs to be graded as harshly as possible.

Yep, I'm Australian.

Yeah, but see, they stand out for the wrong reasons. It's even worse because they probably just studied hours and learnt everything off by rote. Where's the actual critical thinking required in a small amount of time? 

You're right. I don't like the system, either. And there are indeed people who argue that public schools suppress critical thinking and creativity. It's the safe route, however, and schools are unwilling to change what seems to work.

Asian countries like China and Japan are the worst offenders. It is literally all memorization.

Amen to that. At least my teachers are sympathetic to my cause. I bet there are teachers who actually believe this is a way to teach children. Once I made my case to my teachers, they usually let me do what I want (with spectacular results mind you).