Astronomy quiz question: noontime rising/setting moon phase

Astronomy 210 Quiz 1, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

[Version 1]
Which phase will the moon have when it rises at 12:00 PM? Clearly circle your answer below.

Correct answer: (F) (First quarter moon).

The moon that rises at 12:00 PM will be highest overhead six hours later, at 6:00 PM, while essentially keeping the same phase (as it would take half a week to go to the next of the eight given phases shown). So the moon that is highest overhead at 6:00 PM would be the first quarter moon (response (F)).

Note that response (H) (new moon) is the phase that the moon would be in if it is highest overhead at 12:00 PM (noon).

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz01N1nk
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 0 students
(F) : 5 students
(G) : 0 students
(H) : 4 students
(No responses): 1 student

[Version 2]
Which phase will the moon have when it sets at 12:00 PM? Clearly circle your answer below.

Correct answer: (E) (Waning crescent).

The moon that sets at 12:00 PM would have been highest overhead six hours earlier, at 6:00 AM, while essentially keeping the same phase (as it would take half a week to go to the next of the eight given phases shown). So the moon that was highest overhead at 6:00 AM would be the third quarter moon (response (B)).

Again, note that response (H) (new moon) is the phase that the moon would be in if it is highest overhead at 12:00 PM (noon).

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz01N1nk
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 0 students
(F) : 2 students
(G) : 0 students
(H) : 3 students

Success level: 25% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.38