Grades
Percentage from correct answers
The core division. Forty-two correct out of fifty gives 42 / 50 = 0.84, which reads as 84 per cent; forty-three gives 0.86 and forty-one gives 0.82.
The Formula
Percentage = (correct / total) x 100
The core division. Forty-two correct out of fifty gives 42 / 50 = 0.84, which reads as 84 per cent; forty-three gives 0.86 and forty-one gives 0.82.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| correct | Questions answered correctly | questions | 42 in the running example, the numerator of the ratio. |
| total | Questions on the paper | questions | 50 here. The denominator is the marks available, not the marks attempted. |
| P | Percentage score | percent | 0.84 as a decimal, 84 when multiplied by 100. |
What Each Symbol Means
correctquestions
Questions answered correctly
42 in the running example, the numerator of the ratio.
totalquestions
Questions on the paper
50 here. The denominator is the marks available, not the marks attempted.
Ppercent
Percentage score
0.84 as a decimal, 84 when multiplied by 100.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate a test score page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate A Test Score, filed under Education. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.