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I'm speaking with reference to this question. When I read through the question, it immediately struck me as a low-effort question. It did not include an attempt to solve the problem. Nevertheless, it got a score of +4 and a comprehensive answer with a score of +2 (with acceptance).

Now when we compare that question to this one, we see that it's posted by the same user in the same format ( and even edited by the same user) with a score of -5 and a closure. Something strikes me as really off. Why did this happen? Same question format, but one gets accepted and the other closed? What's going on here??

I have raised flags (saying needs details/clarity) on both the posts, but the former was declined and the latter was helpful. I am really confused as to why that is happening.

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    $\begingroup$ Good question. It is just unfortunate that your former flag is mostly dealt with by reviewers who uphold more lenient standards regarding the quality of questions. Don't let little things ruin your day. $\endgroup$
    – YuiTo Cheng
    Jun 21 '20 at 9:35
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    $\begingroup$ The site is operated by people, not machines. The users who saw the one question maybe had very little overlap with and very different opinions from the users who saw the other question. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry Myerson
    Jun 21 '20 at 10:00
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    $\begingroup$ Since this might not be clear, the status of these flags are almost never decided based on a moderator action. $\endgroup$
    – quid Mod
    Jun 21 '20 at 18:07
  • $\begingroup$ @quid I see. So somehow I ran into two opposite groups of people with their idea of question quality being as different as the fire and ice, right ? $\endgroup$
    – sai-kartik
    Jun 21 '20 at 18:12
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    $\begingroup$ Yes. Opinions on certain questions are mixed and the fate of the flag depends on the reviews in the close queue and thus on who happens to do those. There is some level of chance in that. $\endgroup$
    – quid Mod
    Jun 21 '20 at 18:15
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    $\begingroup$ Hmm...what are the odds I've met two extreme ends :p ( purely rhetorical) $\endgroup$
    – sai-kartik
    Jun 21 '20 at 18:18
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    $\begingroup$ Given the enormous number of questions on the site, and the large numbers of users with very different opinions, I'd say it's inevitable that someone would meet two "extreme ends". That "someone" just happened to be you, sai-kartik. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry Myerson
    Jun 22 '20 at 0:18
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    $\begingroup$ If you check the first question's edit history, OP initially had written(typed) an attempt, which unfortunately was incorrect. So the attempt was removed by the author. $\endgroup$
    – AryanSonwatikar
    Jun 23 '20 at 2:24
  • $\begingroup$ @AryanSonatiwakar, yes but even if the attempt was incorrect, it ought not be removed, as it's the whole point of the question. $\endgroup$
    – sai-kartik
    Jun 23 '20 at 2:35
  • $\begingroup$ @sai-kartik That was a bit of mistake by the author. $\endgroup$
    – AryanSonwatikar
    Jun 23 '20 at 9:31
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    $\begingroup$ Sometimes, it is because there are users on this site who implicitly support cheating. Whether that is relevant to this question or not, is up to you to decide. Just 2 days ago, someone posted a claim about this user saying: "I've noticed all your questions posted, and all of them are from assignments given, and you have posted them before the submission date. (I do not want to reveal the source). I also know who you are, and this is highly immoral." It isn't surprising if it is true. $\endgroup$
    – user21820
    Jun 27 '20 at 17:32
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    $\begingroup$ @user21820 I agree. It's really frustrating to see PSQ questions getting good responses. I think people don't get that we're really trying to help them here by asking for their efforts. They could potentially answer their own question; what more could one want in the learning process!? $\endgroup$
    – sai-kartik
    Jun 27 '20 at 18:29
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    $\begingroup$ I agree it's sad that some students don't want to learn. It's also sad that this attitude is fostered by many communities across the world, which do not care enough about this problem, for example: (1) doctors' unprofessional behaviour at medical school; (2) radiologists routinely cheat on radiology exams. $\endgroup$
    – user21820
    Jun 27 '20 at 18:40
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$\begingroup$

Quoting @Gerry Myerson:

This site is run by people, not machines.
It's inevitable that someone would meet two "extreme" ends.

This makes it clear that MSE is a very large and diverse community. You can have an extreme set of varied opinions expressed by people here. The denial of the flag was only a by-product of this diversity and people's ideas towards the quality of questions posted here.

Coming to the denied flag: As of now, both the questions are closed. I feel appropriate action has been taken by the right people here. Here are the review items:
Former question
Latter one

(Courtesy: @Xander Henderson)
(links were provided in the Math Mods' Office)

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    $\begingroup$ Also, @sai-kartik, and anyone else interested in seeing poor posts designated poor posts, you are all welcome to the CURED chatroom, where users can suggest posts for closure, undeletion, reopening, editing, and/or deletion. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 22 '20 at 22:44
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy alright! Will do from next time .. $\endgroup$
    – sai-kartik
    Jun 23 '20 at 2:34

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