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Test Grade Curve Calculator

Did you bomb your midterm? See exactly how much your grade will improve if your teacher applies a Square Root Curve, Flat Bump, or relative curve.

Test Grade Curve Calculator

Your score before any curve is applied.

%

Curved Grade Result

Your New Curved Score

0.0%

Raw Score

0.0% (F)

Curve Bonus

+0.0 pts

How this curve works:

The Square Root curve takes the square root of your raw score and multiplies it by 10. This curve heavily favors lower scores. (e.g. A 36% becomes a 60%).

How does the Square Root Curve work?

The Square Root Curve is considered one of the most generous curves a teacher can give, especially if you performed poorly.

The formula is simple: √(Raw Score) × 10 = New Score

Because of the way square roots work, this curve heavily favors students at the bottom of the class. For example, the square root of 36 is 6. Multiply by 10, and you get 60. A student who originally failed with a 36% gets a massive +24 point bump to pass with a D-.

However, if you scored an 81%, the square root is 9. Multiply by 10, and your new grade is a 90%. You only get a +9 point bump. This ensures that the lowest grades are brought up to passing, without pushing the top students over 100%.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Square Root Curve?
A square root curve is a very common math and science grading curve. The teacher takes the square root of your raw score and multiplies it by 10. For example, if you got a 64%, the square root is 8. Multiply by 10, and your new curved grade is an 80%.
Who benefits the most from a square root curve?
Students with lower grades benefit the most. If you scored a 36%, your new grade is a 60% (a massive +24 point bump). However, if you scored a 96%, your new grade is a 97.9% (only a +1.9 point bump). It helps failing students pass without giving top students over 100%.
What is the 'Highest to 100' curve?
Also known as a 'relative curve', the teacher finds the highest score in the class (e.g., 90%) and makes it the new 100%. To do this, they add 10 points to everyone's grade. You can calculate this by selecting 'Highest to 100%' in our tool.
Why do teachers curve tests?
If an entire class fails a test, it usually means the test was too difficult, too long, or the material wasn't taught well. Instead of failing the entire class (which looks bad for the teacher and the school), they apply a mathematical curve to normalize the grades to a standard average (usually a C+ or B-).