Math Is Fun Forum

jake_110118

Member

Registered: 2010-05-24

Posts: 3

Simple percentage question.

Hi guys,

I know this is a pretty simplistic question for you guys but I really need you're help. I am completing this particularly hard university paper, if I passed 80% of the asessments with a C average, if I failed the rest of the paper with a D average, would I get a C grade overall or a D grade overall?

Really appreciate you're help.

ZHero

Real Member

Registered: 2008-06-08

Posts: 1,889

Re: Simple percentage question.

depends upon your grading system..
How many marks fetch you a grade C?
How many grade D??

Last edited by ZHero (2010-05-24 18:44:10)

---

If two or more thoughts intersect, there has to be a point!

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Simple percentage question.

Hi jake_110118;

You a skirting close to a total failing grade. I don't know the particulars of your system but supposing you had a 100 questions and got 75% (a C ) of 80 of them. That means you have .75 * .80 = .6. If you you didn't get any of the last 20% right then you only scored 60% for the entire 100. That would be a D.

But if you scored 60% a D, on the remaining 20% that would be .6 * .2 = .12 . It would mean that you scored totally 72 questions out of 100 for a grade of C.

Looks like you would have to do very badly on the last 20% to pull your grade down to failing.

You have to provide some numerical values on how you are being graded for there to be an answer better than that.

Here is the Canadian grading system:

    * A = 90 or higher
    * B = 80–89
    * C = 70–79
    * D = 60–69
    * F = 0–59          Failing

Is yours something like this. Sorry, to say the modern US system, makes no sense at all.

Another point is that one exam or several exams? I have assumed you were speaking of one test.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Simple percentage question.

It also depends on precisely how well you do in each exam.

Let's say that the C boundary is 60-70%, and the D boundary is 50-60%.

Person A could get 67% (C) in one test and 55% (D) in another, and their average would be 61% (C).
Person B could get 62% (C) in one test and 54% (D) in another, and their average would be 58% (D).

---

Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

jake_110118

Member

Registered: 2010-05-24

Posts: 3

Re: Simple percentage question.

depends upon your grading system..
How many marks fetch you a grade C?
How many grade D??

Here is the New Zealand grading system:

A+      89.500 - 100.000      Pass with Distinction
A     84.500 - 89.490     Pass with Distinction
A-     79.500 - 84.490     Pass with Distinction
B+     74.500 - 79.490     Pass with Merit
B     69.500 - 74.490     Pass with Merit
B-     64.500 - 69.490     Pass with Merit
C+     59.500 - 64.490     Pass
C     54.500 - 59.490     Pass
C-     49.500 - 54.490     Pass
D     0.000 - 49.490     Specified Fail

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Simple percentage question.

Hi;

If we weight your paper like this, getting the lowest C possible for 80% of the paper and getting the highest D possible for the remaining 20%

( 80 ( 54.5 ) + 20 ( 49.49 ) ) / 100 = 53.498 is you final score for that paper. You would pass with a C-. But if your D was lower than that:

x = 29.45 meaning if you have done better than 29.45 on the remaining 20% you should pass. Your D cannot be less than 29.45. I think it looks good for you unless you really messed up bad on the portion you failed.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

ZHero

Real Member

Registered: 2008-06-08

Posts: 1,889

Re: Simple percentage question.

Here is the New Zealand grading system:

A+      89.500 - 100.000      Pass with Distinction
A     84.500 - 89.490     Pass with Distinction
A-     79.500 - 84.490     Pass with Distinction
B+     74.500 - 79.490     Pass with Merit
B     69.500 - 74.490     Pass with Merit
B-     64.500 - 69.490     Pass with Merit
C+     59.500 - 64.490     Pass
C     54.500 - 59.490     Pass
C-     49.500 - 54.490     Pass
D     0.000 - 49.490     Specified Fail

If you get a score of 59.49 (i.e. maximum C grade) in 80% of the subjects, then you need to get at least 9.59 score in the remaining 20% subjects in order to get a C grade ; else you get a D.

If you score 54.50 (i.e. minimum C grade) in 80% of the subjects, then you need to get at least 29.55 score in the remaining 20% subjects to get a C ; or else you get a D again...

Last edited by ZHero (2010-05-24 20:38:31)

---

If two or more thoughts intersect, there has to be a point!