Final Grade Calculator
The score you need on the final, and what happens if you miss it.
The formula
where w is the final's weight as a decimal. The logic: your coursework is already locked in and contributes current × (1 − w) to the total. Subtract that from the target to see what the exam still has to supply, then divide by the exam's weight to convert it into an exam score.
Worked example
Sitting at 85% with a final worth 20%, aiming for 90%. Coursework contributes 85 × 0.8 = 68 points. The target needs 90, so the exam must supply 22 points from its 20% share — that is 22 ÷ 0.2 = 110%. Not reachable, and the calculator says so plainly rather than returning a number you might act on.
What the outcome table is for
The calculator also prints your final course grade for a range of exam scores. That is usually the more useful output: it shows how much the exam can actually move your grade, which is often far less than students assume. With a 20% final, a swing from 70% to 100% on the exam moves the course grade by six points.
Before you trust the number
- Check the weight. Syllabi often express weights as points rather than percentages. Convert first.
- Dropped scores. If the lowest quiz is dropped, your current grade is not yet final and this calculation shifts.
- Rounding. Some schools round 89.5 up, some truncate. That half point decides letter grades.
- Category weighting. If homework, quizzes and exams each carry their own weight, your 'current grade' must already be the correctly weighted figure.