12 out of 20 means 8 wrong answers
Scoring 12 out of 20 is the same as getting 8 wrong out of 20. Both describe one result: 12 correct answers on a 20-question test. Whether your teacher counts up from correct answers or down from wrong ones, the percentage is identical.
How the 12 out of 20 percentage is calculated
The percentage comes from one division: 12 Γ· 20 Γ 100 = 60%. Every question on a 20-question test is worth 5% of the total score.
Why 60% is a D on the standard scale
The standard 10-point scale puts a D between 60% and 69%, so a 60% test earns a D. That converts to a 1.0 on the 4.0 GPA scale.
How many can you miss on a 20-question test?
Every letter grade on a 20-question test has a maximum number of wrong answers.
Letter grade cutoffs for a 20-question test
- A β at least 18 correct (miss no more than 2 questions)
- B β at least 16 correct (miss no more than 4 questions)
- C β at least 14 correct (miss no more than 6 questions)
- D β at least 12 correct (miss no more than 8 questions)
Anything at or below 11 correct falls under 60% and is an F on this scale. Your own class may round differently or use a curve, so treat these cutoffs as the common default rather than a rule.