How is a weighted grade calculated and what if I don't have a grade in one or more categories?
In Gradebook Settings, Grading Categories organize the various grades for a class. Each category has a weight, which represents how much it contributes to the final grade.
We will answer two questions here:
A common first question is "how does this work?"
Example 1 - a grade in every category
An example with these categories with weights - Tests (60%), Homework (25%), Participation (15%)
If the student has the following averages in each category - Tests (75%), Homework (95%), Participation (80%) then their overall average would be computed as:
((75*.6) + (95*.25)+(80*.15)) / 1 = 80.75%
- multiply each category percent grade by the decimal equivalent weight
- add them together
- divide by 1 (this is 100% of the possible categories)
Next question is "What if I have one or more empty categories?"
Example 2 - no grade in at least one category
Same example with three categories with weights - Tests (60%), Homework (25%), Participation (15%)
If the student has the following averages in two categories - Tests (75%), Homework (95%), but no grade yet in the Participation category, then their overall average would be computed as:
((75*.6) + (95*.25)) / .85 = 80.88%
- multiply each category percent grade by the decimal equivalent weight
- add them together
- divide by .85 (this is the decimal equivalent of the Tests and Homework weights added together: .60 + .25 = .85). In this case, the Participation grade is not factored in yet.