From lightest to darkest pencil grades, which sequence is correct?

• A. 9H 3H HB 2B 9B
• B. 9H HB 2H 9B 2B
• C. 9H 2H HB 2B 9B
• D. 9H 6H HB 2H 9B

Answer: (C)

Pencil hardness and darkness: harder pencils (H) produce lighter lines, while softer pencils (B) produce darker lines. The numbers show relative hardness or softness within each family, so higher numbers in the H family are even harder (and lighter), and higher numbers in the B family are even softer (and darker). The mid-range is HB, sitting between the hard and soft ends.

From lightest to darkest in this set, the pencil with the greatest hardness is 9H, giving the lightest mark. Next comes 2H, which is less hard than 9H but still quite light. After that is HB, which is a middle ground between hard and soft. Then 2B, which is softer and darker, and finally 9B, the softest and darkest of the group. So the correct order is 9H, 2H, HB, 2B, 9B.

Other sequences don’t fit because they place a harder pencil after a softer one (or omit a harder counterpart that should come before HB), which would produce a lighter-to-darker progression that doesn’t align with how 9H, 2H, HB, 2B, and 9B actually compare in darkness.