Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Best known for its yellow No. 2 variety, what is a Ticonderoga?"
When most people think pencils, the No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil comes to mind. The Ticonderoga is a pencil model distributed by the Dixon Ticonderoga Company, founded in the 19th century. The pencil's name originates in the graphite ore discovered on Lead Mountain in 1815 and processed in Ticonderoga, New York. Ticonderoga makes a variety of pencils that available in different grades: #1 (Extra Soft), #2 (Soft), #2½ (Medium), #3 (Hard), and #4 (Extra Hard). The numbers on the pencil correspond to their softness and hardness. The more graphite there is in a pencil, the softer it is and the lower its number.