Test score calculator
Enter how many points or questions the test has, then what you earned or how many you missed. You get your percentage and letter grade, and a table of how many you can miss for every grade.
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A worked example
A test has 40 questions worth one point each and you got 7 wrong, so you earned 33.
score = 33 / 40 × 100 = 82.5%
On a common syllabus scale, where a B− runs from 80 to 82.99, that is a B−. On a simple 10-point scale it is a B. Each question on this test is worth 100 / 40 = 2.5 percentage points, so one more right answer would have made it 85%.
How many you can miss
Multiply the total by the cutoff for the grade you want, round up to a whole point, and subtract that from the total. On the 40-question test, an A− at 90% needs 0.90 × 40 = 36 right, so you can miss 4.
The rounding up matters when the product is not a whole number. On a 45-question test, 0.90 × 45 = 40.5. You can’t answer half a question, and 40 right is only 88.89%, so you need 41, and you can miss 4, not 4.5. The table in the calculator always rounds this way, so a number in it is always enough.
If questions are worth different points, enter points instead of questions: the total points on the test and the points you earned. “You can miss” then means points, not questions.
When rounding changes the answer
Some instructors round a score to a whole percent, so 69.5% counts as 70%. That can change how many you can miss. On a 23-question test with a 70% cutoff:
- No rounding: 0.70 × 23 = 16.1, so you need 17 right (73.91%) and can miss 6.
- Rounding to a whole percent: 16 right is 69.57%, which rounds to 70%, so you can miss 7.
Choose your instructor’s rounding in the calculator. If you don’t know it, plan with no rounding.
Which calculator to use
This one handles a single test or assignment. To see what a test does to your course grade, use the weighted grade calculator. To find the score you need on a final exam, use the final grade calculator. If your instructor is curving the test, the grade curve calculator shows what each kind of curve would do to your score.
Test score calculator FAQ
How do I calculate my test score as a percentage?
Divide the points you earned by the points possible and multiply by 100. For 33 out of 40, that is 33 / 40 = 0.825, or 82.5%.
How many questions can I miss and still get an A?
Multiply the number of questions by your A cutoff, round up, and subtract the result from the total. With a 93% A on a 50-question test, 0.93 × 50 = 46.5, which rounds up to 47, so you can miss 3. The calculator’s table does this for every letter on your scale.
How much is each question worth?
100 divided by the number of questions, if they are all worth the same. On a 25-question test each one is worth 4 percentage points; on a 40-question test, 2.5.
What letter grade is an 82.5%?
It depends on your instructor’s scale. On a common syllabus scale it is a B−, and on a simple 10-point scale it is a B. You can pick a scale or edit the cutoffs in the calculator to match your syllabus.
Does 89.5% round up to 90%?
Only if your instructor rounds. Many gradebooks keep two decimals, so 89.5% stays a B+ on a scale where A− starts at 90. Set the rounding option to match your course.
Does this calculator send or save my grades?
No. The math runs in your browser, and the numbers and names you type are not sent to any server or stored on your device. Close the tab and they are gone. Like every page on this site, the page itself is counted in our visit statistics, which never include what you type.
Silent Student is a desktop study app that works inside Canvas and other course sites. See how it works if you are curious.