How to work out a percentage grade
Divide the points you got by the points possible and multiply by 100:
38 ÷ 40 × 100 = 95%
A 95 is an A on the standard 90/80/70/60 scale. The calculator shows the exact percent, rounds it to the nearest whole number (89.5 becomes 90) and gives the letter on the standard and on the plus-minus scale. Half points and decimals work, so 4.5 out of 5 is 90%. You can also type the whole score into the first box, like 38/40 or 38 out of 40.
Common scores as a percent and a letter
| Score | Percent | Letter | Plus-minus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 | 75% | C | C |
| 2/4 | 50% | F | F |
| 7/8 | 87.5% | B | B+ |
| 6/8 | 75% | C | C |
| 5/8 | 62.5% | D | D |
| 9/10 | 90% | A | A− |
| 8/10 | 80% | B | B− |
| 7/10 | 70% | C | C− |
| 14/16 | 87.5% | B | B+ |
| 12/16 | 75% | C | C |
| 18/20 | 90% | A | A− |
| 17/20 | 85% | B | B |
| 16/20 | 80% | B | B− |
| 15/20 | 75% | C | C |
| 22/25 | 88% | B | B+ |
| 20/25 | 80% | B | B− |
| 38/40 | 95% | A | A |
| 36/40 | 90% | A | A− |
| 34/40 | 85% | B | B |
| 32/40 | 80% | B | B− |
| 40/42 | 95.24% | A | A |
| 36/42 | 85.71% | B | B |
| 45/50 | 90% | A | A− |
| 42/50 | 84% | B | B |
| 40/50 | 80% | B | B− |
| 54/60 | 90% | A | A− |
| 48/60 | 80% | B | B− |
| 45/60 | 75% | C | C |
Letters here use the percent rounded to a whole number. For another total, type it in the "Out of" box and open the table under the result: it lists every score from full marks to zero.
One score here, a whole stack on the grading calculator
This page is for one score. Teachers marking a pile of tests with the same number of questions are faster on the grading calculator, where you type only the number wrong for each paper, or with a printed grading chart. To combine several scores into one grade, use the average grade calculator; to see what the final exam has to bring, the final grade calculator.
Percentage grade questions
How do I turn points into a percentage grade?
Divide the points you got by the points possible and multiply by 100. 38 out of 40 is 38 ÷ 40 = 0.95, so 95%, an A.
What grade is a 38/40?
95%, an A on both the standard and the plus-minus scale. On a 40-point test each point is worth 2.5 percent, so 36/40 is 90% and 34/40 is 85%.
What grade is a 5/8?
62.5%. Rounded to 63 it is a D on the standard 90/80/70/60 scale and a D on the plus-minus scale. Not rounded, it stays a D on the standard scale but drops to a D− on the plus-minus scale, where D starts at 63.
Is an 81 a B?
On the standard scale, yes: a B runs from 80 to 89. On the plus-minus scale an 81 is a B−, which covers 80 to 82. Your syllabus or school policy decides which scale your class uses.
What is a 2 out of 4 as a grade?
50%, an F on both the standard and the plus-minus scale, where the lowest D starts at 60. On a 4-point quiz each point is worth 25 percent, so 3 out of 4 is 75%, a C.
Which letter scale applies
Schools set their own cut-offs. The standard scale gives an A from 90, the plus-minus scale splits each band (A 93, A− 90, B+ 87 …). Both, with the school policies they come from, are on the grading scale page. If your syllabus uses different cut-offs, it wins.