# What is my semester grade?

Computes a semester grade as the weighted average of two quarter grades and a final exam (40%, 40% and 20% by default), or the final exam or quarter grade needed for a target semester grade.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/education/semester-grade-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/education/semester-grade-calculator.json
- Version: 6e3cddb114a6

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Quarter 1 grade 88%, Quarter 2 grade 92%, Final exam grade 85%, Quarter 1 weight 40%, Quarter 2 weight 40%, Final exam weight 20%): With quarter grades of 88% and 92% and 85% on the final exam, the semester grade is 89%.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| q1 | Quarter 1 grade | Your grade for the first quarter (or term), in percent. |
| q2 | Quarter 2 grade | Your grade for the second quarter (or term), in percent. |
| exam | Final exam grade | Your grade on the semester final exam, in percent. |
| sem | Semester grade | The semester grade: the weighted average of the three parts, in percent. |
| w1 | Quarter 1 weight | How much quarter 1 counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |
| w2 | Quarter 2 weight | How much quarter 2 counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |
| we | Final exam weight | How much the final exam counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| q1 | Quarter 1 grade | The first quarter grade, typed or needed for the semester grade. |
| q2 | Quarter 2 grade | The second quarter grade, typed or needed for the semester grade. |
| exam | Final exam grade | The final exam grade, typed or needed for the semester grade. |
| semester | Semester grade | The weighted average of the two quarters and the final exam, in percent. |
| w1 | Quarter 1 weight | How much quarter 1 counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |
| w2 | Quarter 2 weight | How much quarter 2 counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |
| we | Final exam weight | How much the final exam counts toward the semester grade, in percent. |

## Method

semester = (w1 × Q1 + w2 × Q2 + wE × exam) ÷ (w1 + w2 + wE); solved for any one grade from the other three.

## Assumptions

- The semester grade is a weighted average of two quarter grades and one final exam. The weights are divided by their total, so they need not add up to 100.
- The default weights are 40%, 40% and 20%, the split many US high schools use. Check your school’s split and change the weights to match.
- Grades are percentages from 0 to 1,000 (above 100 allows extra credit). A needed grade above 100% means the goal is out of reach without extra credit.
- Every step is exact on the numbers as typed; grades are rounded to two decimal places only for display.

## Worked examples

1. q1 = 88%, q2 = 92%, exam = 85%, w1 = 40%, w2 = 40%, we = 20% gives sem = 89%. Source: Akron Public Schools grade calculator (1st quarter 40%, 2nd quarter 40%, exam 20%), https://homeaccess.akron.k12.oh.us/finalgrade/.
2. q1 = 88%, q2 = 92%, sem = 90%, w1 = 40%, w2 = 40%, we = 20% gives exam = 90%. Source: (90 × 100 − 40 × 88 − 40 × 92) ÷ 20 = 1,800 ÷ 20 = 90 (weights from the Akron Public Schools grade calculator, https://homeaccess.akron.k12.oh.us/finalgrade/).
3. q1 = 70%, q2 = 72%, sem = 80%, w1 = 40%, w2 = 40%, we = 20% gives exam = 116%.
4. q1 = 80%, exam = 70%, sem = 85%, w1 = 40%, w2 = 40%, we = 20% gives q2 = 97.5%.
5. q1 = 88%, q2 = 92%, exam = 85%, w1 = 2%, w2 = 2%, we = 1% gives sem = 89%.
6. q1 = 90%, q2 = 80%, exam = 75%, w1 = 45%, w2 = 45%, we = 10% gives sem = 84%.

## FAQ

### How do I calculate my semester grade?

Multiply each grade by its weight, add the results, and divide by the total weight. With quarters of 88% and 92% at 40% each and an 85% final exam at 20%: (40 × 88 + 40 × 92 + 20 × 85) ÷ 100 = 8,900 ÷ 100 = 89%.

### What do I need on my final exam to get the semester grade I want?

Enter both quarter grades and your goal as the semester grade, and leave the final exam empty. The exam grade you need is (goal × total weight − the weighted quarter grades) ÷ exam weight. For a 90% goal after 88% and 92%: (9,000 − 3,520 − 3,680) ÷ 20 = 90%.

### How much is a semester final exam worth?

It depends on the school. A common split is 40% for each quarter and 20% for the exam, which is what Akron Public Schools uses for classes with one final exam. Your syllabus or school handbook gives your split; enter it under Weights.

### Do the weights have to add up to 100?

No. The calculator divides by the total of the weights, so 40, 40 and 20 give the same result as 2, 2 and 1. A part with weight 0 does not count at all.

### What does it mean if I need more than 100% on the final?

The goal is out of reach unless the exam has extra credit. With quarters of 70% and 72% at 40% each, an 80% semester would need (8,000 − 2,800 − 2,880) ÷ 20 = 116% on a 20% exam. Try a lower goal to see what is possible.

### Can I find the grade I need in a quarter instead?

Yes. Leave that quarter empty and fill in the other quarter, the exam and your goal. For an 85% semester with 80% in quarter 1 and 70% on the exam (40/40/20), quarter 2 needs (8,500 − 3,200 − 1,400) ÷ 40 = 97.5%.

## Sources

- Akron Public Schools, Grade Calculator (classes with one final exam: 1st quarter 40%, 2nd quarter 40%, exam 20%). https://homeaccess.akron.k12.oh.us/finalgrade/
- OpenStax, Introductory Statistics 2e, §2.5 Measures of the Center of the Data (a mean with frequencies: Σ value × frequency ÷ Σ frequency, the same sum as a weighted mean). https://openstax.org/books/introductory-statistics-2e/pages/2-5-measures-of-the-center-of-the-data