# Crescent Difficulty Index

The Crescent Difficulty Index (CDI) is an informal unit of measuring a course's difficulty based on 3 factors.

# Factors

# Load (55%)

This factor is influenced by how often and clustered coursework such as quizzes, labs, assignments, and projects are as well as how long it averagely takes to complete them. It also takes into account how much of the textbook you need to study in order outside of lectures in order to succeed in quizzes and tests. For group projects, it is also determined by how often each group member needs to spend on it per week. It is the highest weighted factor of the three.

# Complexity (30%)

This factor is influenced by how difficult the material in a course is relative to a student without prior experience in the field, as well as how difficult the topic is in general.

# Strain (15%)

This factor is mostly based on the public opinion of the instructor, the quality of the lectures/labs relative to how much you need to study it outside of them, and the clarity of instructions as a whole. The length of a lecture also affects Strain for lectures that go over 1h50m. This factor has the least weight due to its high variability.

# Grades

After considering all these factors, grades are then given based on how much the factors are present.

1.0-1.9 CDI

Least Concern.
Courses in this CDI category are usually pass or fail courses, or courses that are incredibly easy.

2.0-2.7 CDI

Safe
Courses in this CDI category are usually relatively easy classes and/or have amazing professors.

2.8-3.4 CDI

Normal
Courses in this CDI category are of average difficulty, having moderate workload and study requirements.

3.5-4.0 CDI

Tough
Courses in this CDI category have higher than average difficulty, either having more complex topics or heavier workload than the previous ones.

4.1-5.0 CDI

High Priority
Courses in this CDI category are infamously hard classes relative to the term, being deeply complex in nature, requiring large amounts of time dedicated to it, or both. A rough professor usually doesn't propel a course into this category, but it can be a pivoting factor.