Cells in red are above 100% — the target is mathematically out of reach at that weight. Cells in blue are at or below 0% — the target is already locked in, even with a zero on the exam.
Final Exam Grade Chart
No typing required: find your current grade down the side and the final's weight across the top, and read off the score you need. Every cell is computed from needed = (target − current × (1 − weight)) ÷ weight — the same formula as the final grade calculator, which handles any numbers not in the chart.
Target: 90% — an A on a plain 10-point scale
| Current grade | Final worth 10% | Final worth 15% | Final worth 20% | Final worth 25% | Final worth 30% | Final worth 40% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70% | 270% | 203.33% | 170% | 150% | 136.67% | 120% |
| 75% | 225% | 175% | 150% | 135% | 125% | 112.5% |
| 80% | 180% | 146.67% | 130% | 120% | 113.33% | 105% |
| 85% | 135% | 118.33% | 110% | 105% | 101.67% | 97.5% |
| 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| 95% | 45% | 61.67% | 70% | 75% | 78.33% | 82.5% |
Target: 80% — a B on a plain 10-point scale
| Current grade | Final worth 10% | Final worth 15% | Final worth 20% | Final worth 25% | Final worth 30% | Final worth 40% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70% | 170% | 136.67% | 120% | 110% | 103.33% | 95% |
| 75% | 125% | 108.33% | 100% | 95% | 91.67% | 87.5% |
| 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| 85% | 35% | 51.67% | 60% | 65% | 68.33% | 72.5% |
| 90% | -10% | 23.33% | 40% | 50% | 56.67% | 65% |
| 95% | -55% | -5% | 20% | 35% | 45% | 57.5% |
How to read this chart
Two patterns are worth noticing. First, moving down a column (a higher current grade) drops the needed score fast — early work is leverage. Second, moving right (a heavier final) widens the spread: a heavy final is a bigger risk if you are behind and a bigger opportunity if the target is just out of reach, because more of the grade is still undecided. The red corner in the 90% table — low current grade, light final — is the one situation no amount of exam-week effort can fix, and it is better to learn that from a chart in October than from a grade report in December.
Frequently asked questions
My numbers are not in the chart. What do I use?
The final grade calculator accepts any current grade, weight and target, and also produces the full letter-grade ladder for your exact situation.
Why does the chart top out at a 40% final?
Finals worth more than 40% of a course exist but are uncommon; weights of 10–40% cover most syllabi. Above that range, use the calculator rather than extrapolating the table.
Is a needed score of 100% listed as reachable?
Yes — exactly 100 is possible in principle, so it is not coloured red. Scores above 100 are. In practice, treat anything in the high 90s as "needs a near-perfect paper" rather than a plan.