How To Calculate Grade Scores
Even though teachers can calculate grade scores in an almost infinite number of ways, some common themes for determining grades run through most educational institutions. Most schools have a grading scale, which is a set of standard percentages that shows what students must earn for each letter grade A through F. A student can then calculate the percentage she has earned in a class and compare it to the grading scale to figure out her letter grade. Many teachers will grade assignments as percentages, while some use straight point systems. Both systems will be taken into consideration here.
Calculating Grades from Straight Points
1. Add Up Total Point Values
Add up the point values of all of your graded assignments. For instance, you may have completed four assignments worth the following numbers of points: 10, 20, 20 and 30. If you add them up, you find that the assignments were worth a total of 80 points.
2. Add Up Your Scores
Add up scores that you earned on each assignment. For example, suppose that on the assignments from the previous step, you earned the following scores: 7, 19, 14 and 23 points. If you add them up, you get a total of 63 points.
3. Divide Scores by Total Point Value
Divide the total number of points you earned by the total point value of all the assignments, and then multiply the number by 100 percent. For example:
\(\text{Percentage of points earned} = \frac{63}{80} × 100 \text{ percent} = 79 \text{ percent}\)
4. Interpret the Grading Scale
Compare your percentage to the grading scale to find your letter grade. For example, suppose your school's grading scale looks like this:
•A – 90 to 100 percent
•B – 80 to 89 percent
•C – 70 to 79 percent
•D – 60 to 69 percent
•F – less than 60 percent
Because you earned 79 percent of your points, you earned a "C."
Calculating Grades from Percentages
1. Add Up Percentages Earned
Add up the percentages you earned on all of your assignments. For instance, you might have completed four assignments and earned the following percentages on each: 78, 88, 94 and 81 percent. If you add them up, you get 341.
2. Divide by Number of Assignments
Divide your answer from the previous step by the number of assignments to learn your average percentage. For the example, the calculation would look like this:
\(\text{Average percentage} = \frac{341}{4} = 85.25 \text{ percent}\)
3. Interpret the Grading Scale
Compare your average percentage to the grading scale to find your letter grade. For example, suppose your school's grading scale looks like this:
•A – 90 to 100 percent
•B – 80 to 89 percent
•C – 70 to 79 percent
•D – 60 to 69 percent
•F – less than 60 percent
Because your average percentage was 85.25 percent, you earned a "B."
Cite This Article
MLA
Banas, Timothy. "How To Calculate Grade Scores" sciencing.com, https://www.sciencing.com/calculate-grade-scores-6403300/. 26 October 2020.
APA
Banas, Timothy. (2020, October 26). How To Calculate Grade Scores. sciencing.com. Retrieved from https://www.sciencing.com/calculate-grade-scores-6403300/
Chicago
Banas, Timothy. How To Calculate Grade Scores last modified March 24, 2022. https://www.sciencing.com/calculate-grade-scores-6403300/