How this grade calculator works
You type in each assignment score and what it was out of. The calculator divides the score by the points possible, turns that into a percentage, and averages those percentages. If you leave the weight blank, every assignment counts the same. If you add a weight, the assignment counts more or less than the others.
The result is your current grade for the class. It shows a percentage and a letter grade on the standard US scale. That scale runs from A+ at 97 to F below 60. Most schools use some version of this scale, but cutoffs can differ by a point or two. Check your syllabus if you need the exact letter for your school.
Points, percentages, and weights
Points and percentages are two ways to say the same thing. If you got 18 out of 20, that is 90 percent. If you got 45 out of 50, that is also 90 percent. The calculator handles both without you converting anything.
Weights change how much each assignment matters. A weight of 2 counts twice as much as a weight of 1. A weight of 0.5 counts half as much. The formula is:
percent = sum(score / out_of x 100 x weight) / sum(weight)
Here is a worked example. You have three assignments:
| Assignment | Score | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | 18 | 20 | 1 |
| Essay | 85 | 100 | 2 |
| Homework | 9 | 10 | 1 |
The quiz is 90 percent. The essay is 85 percent. The homework is 90 percent. With the essay weighted double, the math is (90 x 1 + 85 x 2 + 90 x 1) / (1 + 2 + 1). That equals 350 / 4, or 87.5 percent. On the standard scale, 87.5 is a B+.
If you had left every weight at 1, the average would be 88.3 percent, which is also a B+. The weight pulled the grade down because the essay was your lowest score and it counted most.
When your teacher uses categories
Many classes group work into categories like tests, quizzes, and homework. Each category has its own weight. For example, tests might be 50 percent, quizzes 30 percent, and homework 20 percent. You cannot just average every assignment together in that case. You need the average inside each category first.
The formula is:
percent = sum(category_average x category_weight) / sum(category_weight)
Only categories with an average count. If you have no test scores yet, the test category is left out and the other categories scale up. That gives your current standing in the class. The weighted grade calculator is built for this setup.
What you need on the final
Once you know your current grade, you can find the score you need on the final exam to hit a target. The formula is:
required = (target - current x (1 - w)) / w
Here w is the final's weight as a decimal. Suppose your current grade is 88, your target is 90, and the final is worth 20 percent. Then w is 0.2. The math is (90 - 88 x 0.8) / 0.2, which equals 98. You would need a 98 on the final to reach 90.
If the answer comes out above 100, the target is out of reach with the final alone. You would need extra credit or a different target. The final grade calculator runs this for you.
Letter grades and grade points
The calculator shows a letter grade using the scale below. This is the most common US scale. Your school may use slightly different cutoffs.
| Letter | Percent | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93-96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.3 |
| D | 63-66 | 1.0 |
| D- | 60-62 | 0.7 |
| F | below 60 | 0 |
Grade points matter for your GPA. A 4.0 scale is the standard. Some schools use a 4.3 scale where an A+ is worth 4.3 instead of 4.0. High schools often add extra points for honors and AP classes. On this site, honors adds 0.5 and AP or IB adds 1.0. So an A in an AP class is worth 5.0 grade points. Districts vary, and some cap the total differently.
To see how your class grades turn into a GPA, use the GPA calculator. The full method is published at how we calculate. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Every calculation runs in your browser.