How to calculate the final value depends on several variables. To calculate the final grade, you need to know how much assignments, tests, quizzes, and class participation are weighted. The best way to find this information is to look at the syllabus provided by your teacher or professor. Once you identify the number of assignments, the weight of each assignment, and the grade you get for each assignment, calculating the final grade will become easy.
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Method 1 of 4: Calculating Final Score Without Weights Manually
Step 1. Write down your entire score
Find grades for all assignments, quizzes, homework, etc. throughout the semester. Sometimes this kind of information is stored online, as in the Blackboard System. Sometimes you have to check your graded assignments. Write all the values in one column on paper.
If class participation or discussion is part of the final grade component, you may have to ask your teacher or professor about your grade
Step 2. Write down all possible values
See the syllabus for the grading system. Teachers have different systems for determining final grades, but the two most common ways are points and percentages. Whichever method you use, write the estimated final value in the second column next to the value you get.
- In the point system, there is a maximum point that you can earn in a class. Each assignment has a value allocation. For example, the total points is 200 which is divided into four tasks, each assignment has a maximum value of 50 (4x50=200).
- In a percentage system, each task will have a weight in the form of a percent. The total number of percentages is 100%. For example, you might have four assignments so that each assignment has a weight of 25% of the total final grade (4x25=100).
- Remember, in the examples above, each assignment has the same weight even though the values used are different.
Step 3. Add up the two columns
Do this regardless of the scoring method used (using a percentage or some other type). Add up all the values in the first column with the totals at the bottom. Add up all the values in the second column. Put the total value below.
- For example, you have five activities. Two of the five are exams with an allocation of 20 points each. Two of the other five are quizzes with an allocation of 10 points. The last activity is an assignment that is allocated 5 points.
- 20+20+10+10+5= 65. This is the maximum score you can achieve in the class.
- Now add up your scores. For example, you get a score of 18/20 for the first test, 15/20 for the second, 7/10 for the first quiz, 9/10 for the second, and 3/5 for the assignment.
- 18+15+7+9+3= 52. This is the final grade you get in the class.
Step 4. Calculate your average score
Now divide the total value you got by the maximum value. In other words, divide the value you wrote at the bottom of the first column by the value you wrote at the bottom of the second column.
Step 5. Multiply the decimal number by 100
So that you can understand the value, convert the decimal value to a percentage value. Multiply the decimal number by 100. Another way you can do this is to shift the decimal point to the right twice.
- 52/65= 0, 8 or 80%
- To move the decimal point to the right twice, add some zeros, such as: 0, 800. Now, move the comma to the right twice. This process will give the number 080, 0. Remove the unneeded zeros and you will get 80. This means you get the value 80.
Step 6. Determine the GPA value
You must understand the grading scale used in your class to calculate the final grade. Some schools use grades in the form of letters (eg, A, B, B-, etc…) while other schools use numbers (eg, 4, 0; 3, 5; 3, 0; etc…). This scale represents the percentage of grades you get in class.
This scale can also vary, depending on your school. For example, some schools use plus and minus signs, some schools don't. Some use a scale of 10 (for example, a value between 90-100 means an A, a value between 80-89 means a B, etc.). Other schools may use a seven-point scale (eg, 97-100=A, 93-96=A-, 91-92=B+, etc.). The scale may also vary depending on your professor's preferences
Method 2 of 4: Calculating Final Score with Weights Manually
Step 1. Identify how the values are weighted
This means that some values have a higher percentage of the final value. For example, your score might consist of 30% participation, 4 quizzes weighing 10% each, and a final exam weighing 30%. Knowing the effect of participation scores and test scores on final grades is the tricky part when they both weigh three times as much as the quiz.
Check the syllabus or ask the teacher about grades
Step 2. Multiply the weight percentage by your score
For easy setup, write your values in one column and the maximum number of values in the other. Multiply each Number by the weight. Put the multiplication result in a new column.
Example: If the final exam weighs 30% of the final score and you get an 18 and the maximum score is 20, multiply 30 by 18/20. (30 x (18/20) = 540/600)
Step 3. Add up all the new numbers
Once you've multiplied all the values by the weight percentage, you'll get two new types of numbers: your score after multiplying by the weight percentage and the maximum value after multiplying by the weight percentage. Calculate your total score and maximum total score. Divide your total score by the maximum total score.
- Example: Weight per activity: Task 1= 10%, Task 2= 10%, Test 1= 30%, Test 2= 30%, Participation= 20%. Your scores: Assignment1= 18/20, Assignment 2= 19/20, Test 1= 15/20, Test 2 = 17/20, Participation= 18/20.
- Task 1: 10 x (18/20)= 180/200
- Task 2: 10 x (19/20)= 190/200
- Test 1: 30 x (15/20)= 450/600
- Test 2: 30 x (17/20)= 510/600
- Participation: 20 x (18/20)= 360/400
- Total score: (180+190+450+510+360) (200+200+600+600+400), or1690/2000 = 84, 5%
Step 4. Compare the percentage value with the value scale
Once you've found your score as a percentage, taking into account the weight of each activity, compare that percentage to a rating scale. For example, A=93-100, B=85-92, etc.
Teachers and professors usually round scores to the nearest unit. For example, the 84.5% you get will be rounded up to 85% to calculate the final value
Method 3 of 4: Using Worksheets to Calculate Final Grades Without Weights
Step 1. Open the worksheet
Open a new worksheet file on the operating system that you are using. Type a title in each column for easy identification. Use the first column to write the name of the activity. The second column should contain the values you get for each activity. The third column is the maximum value for each activity.
For example, your columns: Activity name, Your value, Maximum value
Step 2. Enter the data
Write each activity in the first column. Write each value in the second column and the maximum value in the third column. If the value is calculated based on a regular percentage, the maximum value is 100.
Step 3. Add up columns 2 and 3
Write “TOTAL” in each activity name in the first column. Space one tab to the right of the row so that you are directly below the value you last noted. Type in an equal sign and then "sum" followed by an opening parenthesis. The formula will look like: "=sum(" then select the first value in the column above it and drag the cursor until it covers all the values in that column. Release the left mouse button and type the closing parenthesis. The formula will look like: "=sum(B2:B6)"
- Repeat the method “=sum(“for the third column, maximum value.
- You can also manually type the boxes you want to add up. For example, if the values you want to add up are B2, B3, B4, B5, and B6, type “=sum(B2:B6)“
Step 4. Divide your total score by the maximum grade in the class
Stay in this row and move to the fourth column. Type an equal sign followed by an opening parenthesis " =(". Then select your total value, type a slash, select the maximum total value, ending with a closing parenthesis: "=(B7/C7)"
Press the “enter” key when you are done. The total value should appear automatically
Step 5. Convert commas to percentages
This process can also be done easily in a worksheet. Move to the next column. Type in an equal sign, open parenthesis, select the comma-marked value you just calculated, type in an asterisk, 100, and a closing parenthesis. The formula will look like this: “=(D7*100) “
Press the "enter" key so that the value comes out
Step 6. Compare “Final Percentage Score” with the rating scale
When you know the total percentage for all activities, compare that percentage to the rating scale so you can see your score in letters (Example, A, B-, D+, etc…). If the scale uses a number, (3.75, 2.5, 1.0, etc…) multiply the total score by the maximum rating scale.
For example, if your decimal average is 0.82 and your rating scale is 4 (such as your GPA), multiply 0.82 by 4. This process will change the score to a scale of 4
Method 4 of 4: Using Worksheets to Calculate Final Grades with Weights
Step 1. Create a new worksheet
Open a new worksheet file on the operating system you are using. Type a title in each column for easy identification. Use the first column to write the name of the activity. The second column should contain the values you get for each activity. The third column is the maximum value for each activity.
- Examples of your column names: Activity name, Your grade, Maximum value, Weight, Value after multiplied by weight.
- Enter your data. At this stage, you can only enter the activity name, Your grade, Maximum grade, and grade weight.
Step 2. Multiply your score by the value weight
This process will produce the final value after considering the weight of the activity. For example, your midterm weighting is 30% of the final grade and you get a score of 87, type the equal sign and opening brackets, select the column containing the midterm scores, type an asterisk, and the number 30%. The formula can be written as "=(B2*30%)"
Step 3. Add up all your scores that have been multiplied by the weights
Select the column where you will write the values that have been multiplied by the weights. Type in the same formula as before. Type in the equals sign, “sum,” the opening parenthesis, select the column containing the values you want to sum, the closing parenthesis, and press “enter.” If written, the formula looks like “=sum(B2:B6)”
Step 4. Compare “Final Percentage Score” with the rating scale
Now that you know the total percentage for all activities, compare that percentage to a rating scale so you can see your score in letters (Example, A, B-, D+, etc…) or in numbers (3, 75, 2, 5, 1, 0, etc…).
Tips
- Make sure you use all of your values.
- Always save your work. Save assignments, quizzes, and test results to make sure you're using the right grades when calculating final grades. Saving your assignments will also be useful if at the end of the semester, there is a dispute between you and your professor or teacher.
- Use the value in the report card. Don't use semester grades. Use values per period.
- If you want to know your grades for a certain period and not your final grades, replace the grades per period with the grades you get from homework, quizzes, tests, projects, etc.
- All instructions above that use phrases or numbers in quotation marks must be copied without quotation marks. For example, if the instruction is written “=sum(B2:B6)”, don't use quotes.
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Below are some examples of the rating scales used in the United States. The numbers below represent “Letter Grade,” “Percentage Grade,” and “GPA,” separated by commas, respectively.
- A, 90-100, 4.0
- B, 80-89, 3.0
- C, 70-79, 2.0
- D, 60-69, 1.0
- F, 0-59 0.0
- or
- A, 93-100, 4.00
- A−, 90-92, 3.67
- B+, 87-89, 3.33
- B, 83-86, 3.0
- B−, 80-82, 2.67
- C+, 77-79, 2.33
- C, 70-76, 2.0
- D, 60-69, 1.0
- F, 0-59, 0.0
