How Many Questions Can You Miss and Still Get an A?

The quick answer: on the common US scale where an A starts at 90%, you can miss 10% of the questions and still get an A. That’s 2 out of 20, 5 out of 50 or 10 out of 100. If your teacher uses a stricter 93% cut-off for a plain A, the number drops to 1 out of 20, 3 out of 50 and 7 out of 100. Always round the number of misses down, never up.

Want the exact answer for your own test? Pop the total questions and the number you got wrong into our test score calculator and it shows your percentage, letter grade and a full grading chart in seconds.

Questions you can miss: at a glance

This assumes every question is worth the same and there’s no partial credit. The A (90%) column is the most common US cut-off; many schools with plus/minus grades use 93% for a plain A and 90% for an A-.

How to work it out yourself

You only need one line of maths. Here’s the method:

1. Find your cut-off. Check the syllabus for the lowest percentage that counts as an A (often 90% or 93%).
2. Work out the share you can lose. Subtract the cut-off from 100%. A 90% cut-off leaves 10% (0.10); a 93% cut-off leaves 7% (0.07).
3. Multiply by the number of questions. Total questions × 0.10 (or 0.07).
4. Round down to a whole number. If you get 4.5, you can miss 4 questions, not 5. Missing the extra half-question isn’t possible, and missing one more pushes you under the line.
5. Double-check. Divide your correct answers by the total and multiply by 100 to confirm you’re at or above the cut-off.

Worked examples

Example 1: a 45-question quiz

Your A starts at 90%. 45 × 0.10 = 4.5, which rounds down to 4 misses. Check it: 41 ÷ 45 = 91.1%, an A. Miss 5 and you have 40 ÷ 45 = 88.9%, a B+.

Example 2: a test with different point values

Say the test has 30 multiple-choice questions worth 2 points each (60 points) and 4 short answers worth 10 points each (40 points), for 100 points in total. An A at 90% means you need 90 points, so you can lose 10 points. That could be 5 multiple-choice questions, or one whole short answer, but not both. With unequal points, count lost points rather than questions.

Example 3: the stricter 93% cut-off

On a 60-question exam with a 93% cut-off: 60 × 0.07 = 4.2, so you can miss 4. Check: 56 ÷ 60 = 93.3%. Miss 5 and you’re at 91.7%, which is usually an A- on a plus/minus scale. Not bad, but not the plain A you wanted.

What about your overall class grade?

One test is usually only part of your final grade. If you want to know how a test score moves your overall grade, use our grade calculator, or read what do I need on my final? to work backwards from the grade you’re aiming for. Curious where the letter bands sit? Our guide on what percentage is a B has the full chart.

Common mistakes

• Rounding up. 7.5 allowed misses means 7. Rounding up to 8 drops you just below the A line.
• Assuming A = 90% everywhere. Some schools start a plain A at 93% or even 94%, and many schools outside the US use completely different scales. Your syllabus wins.
• Treating every question as equal. If questions carry different points, count points lost, not questions missed.
• Counting on rounding. Some teachers round 89.5% up to 90%; others don’t. Unless it’s written down, plan as if they won’t.
• Forgetting partial credit and curves. Partial marks can help you, and a curve can change the cut-offs after the fact. Ask how your teacher handles both.

Frequently asked questions

How many can I miss on a 20-question test and still get an A?

Two, if an A starts at 90% (18 ÷ 20 = 90%). If your school uses 93% for a plain A, only one (19 ÷ 20 = 95%); missing two gives 90%, which is usually an A-.

How many can I miss on a 50-question test and still pass?

It depends on your passing mark, which varies by school. With a 60% pass mark you can miss 20 questions; with 65%, 17; with 70%, 15.

Is 89.5% an A?

Only if your teacher or school rounds to the nearest whole percent. Many do, but plenty don’t, so check the syllabus or ask before relying on it.

Does an A- count as an A for my GPA?

Not quite. On a typical 4.0 scale an A is 4.0 and an A- is 3.7, so the difference does show up. Try our GPA calculator to see how it affects your overall GPA.

Related guides

• How to Calculate Your Test Score Percentage (and What Grade It Is)
• What Do I Need on My Final? How to Calculate It (With Examples)
• What Percentage Is a B? Letter Grade to Percentage Chart

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