How the final affects your course grade
Your course grade is a weighted average of two parts: everything before the final, which keeps a share of (100 − W)%, and the final itself, which counts W%. Multiply each part by its share and add them up.
Course grade = Current × (100 − W) ÷ 100 + Final × W ÷ 100
Current = your grade before the final (%), W = final exam weight (%), Final = your final exam score (%).
To find the score you need, rearrange the formula to solve for the final.
Final needed = (Target × 100 − Current × (100 − W)) ÷ W
Target = the course grade you want (%).
Example: the score needed for an 85%
Your current grade is 84%, the final counts 25% and you want 85%.
- Points from your current grade: 84 × (100 − 25) ÷ 100 = 63
- Points the final must supply: 85 − 63 = 22
- Score needed: 22 ÷ 25 × 100 = 88%
Example: the course grade from a final score
Same course: 84% going in, the final counts 25% and you score 92% on it.
- Points from your current grade: 84 × (100 − 25) ÷ 100 = 63
- Points from the final: 92 × 25 ÷ 100 = 23
- Course grade: 63 + 23 = 86%, a B.
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
Which grade do I enter as my current grade?
Your grade for everything except the final, as a percentage. If your gradebook already shows a zero or a placeholder for the final, leave that out of the number you enter.
How do I find out what the final is worth?
What if the score I need is above 100%?
Then the final alone can’t lift you to that grade. The calculator shows the best grade you can still reach with a perfect score. Extra credit or a retake policy, if your teacher offers one, could change that.
What if the result says “already secured”?
Even a 0% on the final would leave you at or above your target. Check your school’s rules first: some require taking the exam or passing it to pass the course.
When should I use the semester grade calculator instead?
Use the semester grade calculator when your grade is built from several grading periods, such as two quarters, plus an exam. This page is for one current grade and one final.