An easy grader is a simple calculator that turns the number of wrong answers on a test into a percentage score and a letter grade. You enter how many questions were on the test, tap once for each wrong answer, and the grade appears straight away. There is no division to do by hand.

It uses the same percentage formula explained in our guide on how to calculate grades, but it does the arithmetic for you, which makes it quick when you are marking a whole stack of papers.

Open the Easy Grader

What “easy grader” means

In this guide, an easy grader is a grading tool. Teachers, tutors, parents and students use it to convert “number wrong” into a score, because counting mistakes is often faster than counting correct answers.

The phrase has a second, informal meaning. Students sometimes call a teacher an “easy grader” when they think that teacher gives high marks or marks leniently. That is a different idea. If you were looking for an easy-marking teacher or class, this page is about the calculator, not about teachers.

How an easy grader works

Behind the scenes, an easy grader does two small calculations. First, it works out how many answers were right:

Then it turns that into a percentage:

On a 25-question test with 3 wrong answers, there are 25 − 3 = 22 correct answers, and 22 ÷ 25 × 100 = 88%. On the standard 10-point scale, that is a B. The easy grader gives you that result as soon as you enter the two numbers, and it updates every time you add another wrong answer.

How to use the Easy Grader step by step

1. Enter the total number of questions. Type how many questions were on the test, quiz or assignment.
2. Enter the number wrong. Count the mistakes as you mark, or tap the +1 Wrong button once for each wrong answer.
3. Read the result. The percentage and the letter grade update as you go.
4. Move to the next paper. Press Reset, or use the keyboard shortcut for reset, and start again with the same total.

Two optional switches sit under the calculator. “Show Decimals” displays the score with decimal places instead of a rounded whole number, and “Show Quick Chart” shows the full list of scores for your test length, which you can print as a reference sheet.

A worked example

Imagine a 20-question quiz. Each question is worth 5%, so every wrong answer takes 5 points off. Here is how five students would score, with letters on the 10-point scale:

With the Easy Grader, you keep the total at 20, enter each student’s wrong answers, and write down the result. Marking a class of thirty takes a few minutes instead of thirty separate calculations.

How to read the result

The percentage is exact. The letter grade in the quick result uses the flat 10-point scale: 90 to 100 is an A, 80 to 89 is a B, 70 to 79 is a C, 60 to 69 is a D, and below 60 is an F.

Not every school uses that scale. Some add plus and minus grades, and some use a 7-point scale where an A starts at 93%. If your school does, take the percentage from the easy grader and convert it with the letter grade calculator, which lets you pick the scale. Always check your syllabus for the exact boundaries.

Features worth knowing

• Tap-to-count. The +1 Wrong button lets you count mistakes as you read the paper, without typing.
• Keyboard shortcuts. You can add a wrong answer and reset from the keyboard, which keeps your hands off the mouse when you grade a full stack.
• Printable quick chart. One click shows the score for every number of wrong answers on your test length. Print it and keep it next to the pile.
• Decimals when you need them. Turn on decimals for tests with many questions, where each one is worth a fraction of a percent.
• Up to 500 questions. It handles short quizzes and long exams alike.
• Private. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, saved or shared.

Easy grader vs a paper grading wheel

Many teachers have used a paper or plastic grading wheel. You turn the wheel to the number of questions on the test, then read the percentage for the number wrong. It works, but a digital easy grader removes most of its limits:

A wheel has one real advantage: it needs no battery or internet connection. If you grade in places without either, keep a printed quick chart as a backup.

Other ways to grade a test

The easy grader is best when you are counting wrong answers. Other situations call for a different approach:

• You know the score, not the wrong answers. If a paper has points, such as 41.5 out of 50, divide points earned by points possible and multiply by 100, or use the test grade calculator.
• Questions are worth different amounts. Add up the points earned and divide by the total points available.
• Categories have weights. Combine the category scores with a weighted average instead.

Limitations

The easy grader assumes every question is worth the same, and it counts each question as fully right or fully wrong. If your test gives partial credit or uses different point values, use the points formula instead. The letter grade is based on the flat 10-point scale, so confirm the result against your own school’s rules. Results are for guidance only, and official grades always come from your school or instructor.

Frequently asked questions