How a test percentage is calculated
Divide what you got right by the total and multiply by 100. If you know the number wrong instead, subtract it from the total first. When questions have different values, use points.
Percent = correct ÷ total × 100
Correct = total − wrong. In points mode, use points earned ÷ points possible × 100.
Example: number correct
43 correct out of 50.
- Percent: 43 ÷ 50 × 100 = 86%, a B.
Example: number wrong
7 wrong on a 40-question test.
- Correct: 40 − 7 = 33
- Percent: 33 ÷ 40 × 100 = 82.5%, a B.
Example: points
68.5 points out of 80.
- Percent: 68.5 ÷ 80 × 100 = 85.63% (shown as 85.63%), a B.
Example: passing score
31 correct out of 50, with a 65% passing mark.
- Passing mark in questions: 65% of 50 = 32.5, so at least 33 must be right (round up to a whole question).
- 31 is below 33, so this score is not a pass: it is 2 short.
Letter grades
Letters use the scale Florida law sets for public middle and high schools [1]. Each band starts at its published lower bound and nothing is rounded, so 89.99% shows as a B.
| Letter | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 90–100 |
| B | 80–89 |
| C | 70–79 |
| D | 60–69 |
| F | 0–59 |
Schools set their own cut-offs, weights and rounding rules. Check your school’s scale before relying on a letter.
Questions
How do I calculate a test percentage from the number wrong?
Subtract the number wrong from the total to get the number correct, then divide by the total and multiply by 100. Choose “Number wrong” above and the calculator does both steps, and the table shows every possible number wrong for your test.
What is a passing score?
Your teacher, school or exam board sets it, so enter yours as the passing percentage. The calculator then shows whether you passed and the fewest correct answers that would. Without a passing percentage it only gives the percent and letter.
What if questions are worth different amounts?
Use points mode. Enter the points you earned and the points possible, so a 10-point question counts ten times as much as a 1-point question.
Is the percentage rounded?
Not in the calculation. The result is shown to two decimal places, but the letter grade uses the exact value, so 89.9% is a B. Your teacher may round differently.
Can I score above 100%?
In points mode, yes, if there are bonus points. For questions correct or wrong, the number can’t go past the total.
How do I turn a percent into a course grade?
A single test is only part of a course grade. Use the grade calculator to combine tests with homework or other categories.