How To Calculate A Test Average

Some teachers create different categories of grades to place more or less emphasis on certain assignments, or to help you see how you perform in different types of assignments. For example, many teachers believe that tests should have a significant impact on your grade. If you know how many points you've earned on tests so far, along with how many total points were possible, you can calculate your own average score for tests.

1. Total the Points Earned

Add the total number of points you earned on your tests. For example, if you got a 90, a 78 and an 85, you would calculate:

\(90 + 78 + 85 = 253\)

2. Total the Points Possible

Add the total number of points you could have earned on each test. For example, if all three tests were out of 100 points, you would calculate

\(100 + 100 + 100 = 300\)

3. Calculate the Test Average

Divide the result from Step 1 by the result from Step 2 to find your test average. Finishing the example, you would calculate:

\(\frac{253}{300} = 0.8433\)

4. Convert the Average to a Percentage

Multiply the result from Step 3 by 100 to convert it to a percentage. To conclude the example

\(0.8433 × 100 = 84.33 \text{ percent}\)

your average grade for tests.