A GPA (Grade Point Average) calculator is a tool used to compute an average of grades earned by a student over a specified period, such as a semester or an entire academic career. Here's how it generally works:
Input Grades: You enter your grades for each course or subject. These grades are usually in the form of letter grades (e.g., A, B, C) or numerical grades (e.g., 4.0, 3.0, 2.0).
Credit Hours: For each course, you input the number of credit hours or units associated with it. Credit hours reflect the weight of the course in terms of workload and typically range from 1 to 5 or more.
Calculation: The GPA calculator then converts each grade into its corresponding numerical value (e.g., A=4.0, B=3.0) and multiplies it by the credit hours. It then sums these values across all courses.
Average Calculation: Finally, the total grade points earned are divided by the total credit hours to obtain the GPA. This GPA is a numerical representation of a student's academic performance.
They are useful for students, educators, and academic advisors to track and assess academic progress, determine eligibility for honors or scholarships, and plan future academic goals. Many universities also provide GPA calculators on their official websites to help students monitor their performance throughout their academic journey.