Example: course target to Part 2
- Course target85%
Non-final work supplies 48 course percentage points.
- Entire final needed92.5%
The final must supply the remaining 37 course points.
- Part 1 secured45 final points
A 90% score at a 50% share supplies this contribution.
- Part 2 needed95%
The remaining 47.5 final points come from the other half.
Plan the unfinished part of your final
A final assessment may have a completed first paper and an upcoming second paper, or a marked presentation followed by a written examination. The Two-Part Final Calculator estimates the average needed on the unfinished portion to reach your chosen overall course grade.
The calculation has two layers. First it determines the final-exam average required within the course. Then it subtracts the contribution of Part 1 and solves for Part 2. Keeping these layers separate prevents a common mistake: treating a share of the final as though it were the same share of the entire course.
Enter the course and exam shares separately
Begin with the current course grade excluding the entire final assessment. Both Part 1 and Part 2 must be left out of that number, even if Part 1 already appears in your online gradebook. Otherwise its marks enter the calculation twice and the required remaining score becomes misleading.
Enter your target course percentage and the weight of the whole final in the course. Then enter Part 1 as a percentage share of that final, followed by the percentage scored on Part 1. The unfinished share is calculated as 100% minus the Part 1 share.
For example, a final worth 40% of the course with Part 1 worth half of the final gives Part 1 a course weight of 20%. The form needs 40 for the whole-final weight and 50 for the Part 1 share, rather than entering 20 in both places.
Understand the two-stage calculation
Let C be the course grade excluding the final, T the course target, and w the final weight as a decimal. The whole-final score required is F = (T − C × (1 − w)) ÷ w. The same weighted-average relationship applies whether the final has one paper or several parts.
Now let p be Part 1’s share of the final as a decimal and S its score. The remaining requirement is Part 2 = (F − p × S) ÷ (1 − p). Part 1 contributes p × S points toward the final average; Part 2 must supply the balance.
Worked example: a 95% second-paper target
Suppose your non-final course grade is 80%, your target is 85%, and the entire final is worth 40%. Non-final work contributes 80 × 0.60 = 48 course points. The final must contribute 37, so its required average is 37 ÷ 0.40 = 92.5%.
Part 1 counts for half of that final and you scored 90%. Its contribution to the final average is 90 × 0.50 = 45 points. Part 2 must contribute another 47.5 final-average points, giving 47.5 ÷ 0.50 = 95%.
Check the answer forward: a 90% first part and 95% second part, weighted equally, make a 92.5% final average. Combining that with coursework gives 48 + 92.5 × 0.40 = 85%. The calculation therefore meets the original course target.
Why the unfinished share matters
Keeping the same course target and 90% Part 1 score, imagine Part 1 counts for 25% of the final instead of 50%. The unfinished part must score (92.5 − 22.5) ÷ 0.75 = 93.333…%, displayed upward as 93.34%. A larger unfinished share gives more room to change the final average.
If Part 1 instead counts for 75%, the remaining requirement becomes (92.5 − 67.5) ÷ 0.25 = 100%. With only one quarter of the final left, the same shortfall requires a higher score. This illustrates why exam shares are essential inputs rather than minor details.
Interpret the answer within the model
The displayed result is a minimum percentage for the entire unfinished portion. It is not an individual question count or a guaranteed official course result. Minimum scores are rounded upward to two decimals so the displayed value does not deliberately fall below the mathematical target.
A requirement above 100% is not reachable when Part 2 is capped at 100. A result at or below zero means that the weighted-average target is already mathematically covered, even with zero on the unfinished part. Neither message overrides an independent paper-pass requirement or an obligation to complete the assessment.
Check for double counting and missing rules
Part 1 cannot occupy 100% of the final because that leaves no remaining share to solve for. A zero share is mathematically possible, but makes the Part 1 score irrelevant. More importantly, verify that the two entered portions collectively represent the whole final rather than leaving a separate component unaccounted for.
This tool does not automatically impose a minimum mark on each paper, drop a section, replace a past score or apply an institutional grade curve. If those rules apply, the combined weighted average is only one part of the assessment decision. Read the final-assessment instructions before selecting your planning target.
If Part 1 was marked out of a point total rather than directly as a percentage, convert it before entering the score. For example, 36 marks out of 40 is 90%. Keep that earned percentage separate from the paper’s weight: scoring 90% and carrying 50% of the final describe different aspects of the same assessment.
Use the remaining target to organize preparation
Compare the required Part 2 score with practice performance using the same question types and marking criteria. If the unfinished portion contains several topics, distribute revision time using their likely mark value and your current confidence. A high target may require improving weak high-value topics rather than revisiting only comfortable material.
When several sections remain, you may combine them into a single Part 2 average if their internal weights are known. The answer then describes their weighted average, not the minimum for every section individually. Keep a record of your assumed weights and update the plan if the course team confirms a different assessment structure.
Frequently asked questions
Can the first part be a practical assessment?
Yes, if its mark and share of the final are known and the course combines it linearly with the unfinished part. Additional competency or practical-pass rules are outside this calculation.
Why must my current grade exclude Part 1?
The calculator adds Part 1 separately inside the final-exam calculation. Including it in the current course grade would count the same assessment twice, usually making the remaining target appear too easy.
What if both exam parts count equally?
Enter 50 as the Part 1 share of the final. This means each part supplies half of the final average, regardless of the weight that the whole final carries in the course.
Can I use a target letter grade?
Find the corresponding course percentage in your own grading table first. This calculator accepts percentage targets and does not assume that a particular letter represents the same threshold across institutions.