Short answer. Test grade = points earned / total points x 100. A score of 42 out of 50 is 84%, which is a B on the common scale. With wrong answers, use (questions - wrong) / questions x 100.
How a test grade is worked out
A test grade is a fraction turned into a percent. You take the points you earned and divide by the points the test was worth. Then you multiply by 100.
Test grade = points earned / total points x 100
If every question is worth the same, you can count questions instead of points. A test with 25 questions where you got 22 right is 22 / 25 x 100 = 88%.
Wrong answers mode
Teachers often mark only the wrong answers. Then it is faster to count those. Switch the mode to wrong answers and type the number you missed and the number of questions. The tool takes the wrong answers away from the total and works out the percent from what is left.
Test grade = (questions - wrong) / questions x 100
This only works when every question is worth the same. If some questions are worth more, use points mode and add up the points.
How the letter grade is chosen
The letter comes from the common US chart. 93 and up is an A, 90 to 92 is an A-, 87 to 89 is a B+, 83 to 86 is a B, and so on down to F below 60. Many teachers use a 10-point scale instead, where 90 is an A and 80 is a B. Schools set their own rules, so check your syllabus or school handbook.
Partial credit and bonus points
For partial credit, type the points you got, even if they are decimals like 41.5. For bonus points, add them to the points earned but not to the total. That is how most teachers count them, and it is why a score can go above 100%.
What one question is worth
The result also shows how much one point or one question is worth. On a 20-question test, each question is 5%. On a 50-point test, each point is 2%. This helps you see how close you are to the next letter grade, and how much a single mistake costs.
Using your test grade
A single test is often only part of your class grade. To see how this test changes your overall grade, put it into the weighted grade calculator with your other scores and their weights.
Worked example
Points mode. You earned 42 points on a 50-point test. 42 / 50 = 0.84. 0.84 x 100 = 84%. On the common chart, 84 is a B (83 to 86). Each point is worth 100 / 50 = 2%.
Wrong answers mode. You missed 3 questions on a 20-question quiz. 20 - 3 = 17 right. 17 / 20 x 100 = 85%, also a B. Each question is worth 5%.
Questions
How do I work out my test score as a percent?
Divide the points you earned by the total points, then multiply by 100. For example, 42 out of 50 is 84%.
What if I only know how many I got wrong?
Use wrong answers mode. It subtracts the wrong answers from the total questions and turns the rest into a percent.
Is 84% a B?
Yes, on the common scale 83 to 86 is a B. On a 10-point scale, 80 to 89 is a B.
How do I count bonus points?
Add them to points earned but not to the total. This can give a score above 100%.
Does a test with more questions count more?
Not in this tool. It gives the percent for one test. Your class grade depends on how your teacher weights each test.
Last checked by the StudyCount team.