Arden completes the course and receives the following grades for the second half of the semester.

Arden’s Grades for the Second Half of the Semester
Category
Grade
Quiz
80
Quiz
60
Lab
100
Quiz
90
Quiz
50
Lab
80
Exam
100
What grade did Arden receive for the course? Would you be happy with this grade if it were you taking the course? Why or why not?

1 answer

To calculate Arden's overall grade for the course, we need to assign weights to the different categories: quizzes, labs, and exams. Although no specific weights are provided, a common approach is to assume that quizzes account for about 40% of the total grade, labs for 30%, and exams for 30%.

Let’s break down the grades:

Quizzes:

  • Quiz 1: 80
  • Quiz 2: 60
  • Quiz 3: 90
  • Quiz 4: 50

Average for quizzes = (80 + 60 + 90 + 50) / 4 = 280 / 4 = 70

Labs:

  • Lab 1: 100
  • Lab 2: 80

Average for labs = (100 + 80) / 2 = 180 / 2 = 90

Exam:

  • Exam: 100

Next, we will apply the weights to calculate the final grade.

Weighted Contribution:

  • Quizzes: 70 * 0.4 = 28
  • Labs: 90 * 0.3 = 27
  • Exam: 100 * 0.3 = 30

Adding these contributions together gives: Final Grade = 28 + 27 + 30 = 85

Thus, Arden's overall grade for the course would be 85.

Would I be happy with this grade if I were taking the course?

Whether I would be happy with this grade depends on several factors:

  1. Course Difficulty: If the course is challenging, an 85 could be seen as a solid achievement.
  2. Personal Goals: If my goal was a specific letter grade (like an A), I might be slightly disappointed but still satisfied with a B.
  3. Effort: If I put in a lot of effort and this reflects my performance accurately, I might feel good about it.
  4. Impact on GPA: If maintaining a certain GPA is crucial for academic or career goals, then I might be more critical about an 85.

Overall, an 85 is generally a respectable grade, but individual feelings about it can vary based on personal expectations and circumstances.