Enter the points you earned and the total points to get your percentage and letter grade instantly.
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 17 out of 20 | 85.00% (B) |
| 425 out of 500 | 85.00% (B) |
| 92 out of 100 | 92.00% (A) |
A test grade is always a proportion, points earned divided by points possible, but the two ways courses record it change how much a single test matters. Under percentage-based grading each test carries equal weight regardless of length, so a 10-point quiz moves your average as much as a 100-point exam. Under points-based grading your course grade is simply total points earned divided by total points possible, which means a 100-point exam outweighs ten 10-point quizzes combined.
| Percentage-based | Points-based | |
|---|---|---|
| How the course grade is computed | Average of each assignment's percentage | Total points earned ÷ total points possible |
| Effect of a long exam | Same as any other assignment | Proportionally larger |
| Recovering from one bad score | Harder, the bad score is fixed in the average | Easier if the remaining work carries more points |
| What to look for in a syllabus | Category weights (homework 20%, tests 60%…) | A single running point total |
Most university courses use the points-based or weighted model; most middle and high school courses use categories with weights. If your syllabus lists both percentages and weights, the weights win, use the weighted grade calculator.
Find your test length across the top and the number missed down the left. Values are exact, so you can see which side of a boundary you are on.
| Missed | 10 questions | 20 questions | 25 questions | 50 questions | 100 questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 wrong | 10/10 · A | 20/20 · A | 25/25 · A | 50/50 · A | 100/100 · A |
| 1 wrong | 9/10 · A | 19/20 · A | 24/25 · A | 49/50 · A | 99/100 · A |
| 2 wrong | 8/10 · B | 18/20 · A | 23/25 · A | 48/50 · A | 98/100 · A |
| 3 wrong | 7/10 · C | 17/20 · B | 22/25 · B | 47/50 · A | 97/100 · A |
| 4 wrong | 6/10 · D | 16/20 · B | 21/25 · B | 46/50 · A | 96/100 · A |
| 5 wrong | 5/10 · F | 15/20 · C | 20/25 · B | 45/50 · A | 95/100 · A |
| 6 wrong | 4/10 · F | 14/20 · C | 19/25 · C | 44/50 · B | 94/100 · A |
| 7 wrong | 3/10 · F | 13/20 · D | 18/25 · C | 43/50 · B | 93/100 · A |
| 8 wrong | 2/10 · F | 12/20 · D | 17/25 · D | 42/50 · B | 92/100 · A |
| 9 wrong | 1/10 · F | 11/20 · F | 16/25 · D | 41/50 · B | 91/100 · A |
| 10 wrong | 0/10 · F | 10/20 · F | 15/25 · D | 40/50 · B | 90/100 · A |
Working backwards from the grade you need is more useful than working forwards. On a 100-point exam, a 90% requires dropping no more than 10 points; on a 50-point exam, no more than 5; on a 20-point exam, no more than 2. Understanding that trade in advance decides how much time to spend checking your work versus moving on.
| Exam worth | For an A (90%) | For a B (80%) | For a C (70%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 points | ≤ 2 lost | ≤ 4 lost | ≤ 6 lost |
| 25 points | ≤ 2 lost | ≤ 5 lost | ≤ 7 lost |
| 50 points | ≤ 5 lost | ≤ 10 lost | ≤ 15 lost |
| 100 points | ≤ 10 lost | ≤ 20 lost | ≤ 30 lost |
| 200 points | ≤ 20 lost | ≤ 40 lost | ≤ 60 lost |
Almost every school publishes a rounding rule, and it decides whether an 89.4% becomes a B+ or an A−. The two policies you will meet:
| Policy | What happens to 89.4% | What happens to 89.5% |
|---|---|---|
| Round half up (most common) | 89% → B | 90% → A |
| Truncate / always round down | 89% → B | 89% → B |
| Round to nearest whole, no half-up | 89% → B | 90% → A only if the school treats .5 as up |
If your score lands on a boundary, check your syllabus before assuming anything, a single point at 89.4% versus 89.5% is the most common grade dispute in middle and high school.
Plain 10-point scale, no plus or minus. Many schools use a finer scale, which you can check on the 4.0 GPA scale page.
| Letter | Percentage | Grade points | Usually means |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100% | 4.0 | Excellent, strong command of the material |
| B | 80–89% | 3.0 | Good, solid understanding, minor gaps |
| C | 70–79% | 2.0 | Satisfactory, meets the basic standard |
| D | 60–69% | 1.0 | Passing but weak, usually not enough for a prerequisite |
| F | below 60% | 0.0 | Failing, no credit earned |
Next steps: if you have all your scores and want the course average, use the grade calculator. If the course has a single remaining exam, the final grade calculator will tell you what you need on it.
No, any point total works. The calculator converts to a percentage, so 17/20 and 425/500 give the same grade.
On the standard 10-point scale, 85% is a B. With plus/minus grading it is typically a B (83–86%) or B+ (87–89%) depending on your school's cutoffs.