What is CGPA?
CGPA stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. It measures the academic performance of a student by calculating his average grades over a period of time. this period of time is typically a semester or an entire academic program. CGPA is often used as a benchmark for assessing a student's overall academic achievement. It is usually based on a 4-point scale, with higher grades receiving more points and lower grades receiving fewer points on the scale.
How is CGPA calculated?
Because it is a numerical calculation of a student's academic performance over a period of time, which can be typically a semester or an entire academic program, here are the mathematical calculations that go into its measurement.
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For most academic programs, CGPA is calculated on a scale of 0 to 4. In this way, each grade is actually given a point value. To cite the example, an "A" grade in a subject can be given a value of 4 points on the scale while a "B" grade can be assigned 3 points on the scale, and it goes so forth in calculations.
This grade point value is then multiplied by the number of credit hours for the course, and the resulting products are then added together. After this, the sum of the products is divided by the total number of credit hours for all the courses studied in that given period, thus giving the CGPA.
For example, if a student took four courses in a semester, each with a credit hour of 3, and received grades of A, B, C, and A respectively, their CGPA would be calculated by adding (4 x 3 x 4) + (3 x 3 x 3) + (2 x 3 x 2) + (4 x 3 x 4) = 48 + 27 + 12 + 48 = 135, and then dividing by the total credit hours (3 x 4 = 12), resulting in a CGPA of 11.25/12 or 3.75/4.
CGPA is often used as a benchmark to see a student's academic achievement over a given period of time. It may also be used by educational organisations or institutions to decide about giving scholarships, awards, or other academic opportunities.
How to convert CGPA to Percentage?
CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) is a grading system commonly used in educational organisations around the globe to assess a student's academic performance. This performance is measured based on the total number of grade points they have achieved during their study period.
However, Percentage is a system of grades which is used across India and some other nations to assess a student's academic achievement. In this method of measuring a student's performance, the grades obtained are expressed as a percentage of total marks.
CGPA | Percentage (%) |
7 | 66.5 |
6.9 | 65.55 |
6.8 | 64.6 |
6.7 | 63.65 |
6.6 | 62.7 |
6.5 | 61.75 |
6.4 | 60.8 |
6.3 | 59.85 |
6.2 | 58.9 |
6.1 | 57.95 |
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If a student received a CGPA grade and would like to calculate or convert it to a percentage score, you have to follow the steps below:
- You need to identify the CGPA scale used in your institution, where, CGPA is usually represented on a scale of 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, or 10.0. The scale out of these given scales used by your institution will then decide the formula that can be used for converting CGPA to percentage.
- You need to determine the total number of courses or credits taken. To calculate your percentage from your CGPA, you need to know the total number of credits or courses taken during your studies. This information can be easily seen from your marksheet.
- You now need to calculate your total grade points. To get this, you multiply your CGPA with the total number of credits or courses taken. For example, if your CGPA is 8.5 and you have taken 40 credits, then your total grade points will be 8.5 x 40 = 340.
- You, in this step, need to divide your total grade points by the total credits or courses taken. For example, if your total grade points are 340 and you have taken 40 credits, then your percentage will be 340/40 = 8.5.
- You now multiply the result by the maximum possible grade points for your institution. For instance, if your institution uses a 10.0 scale, then multiply 8.5 by 10 to get a percentage of 85%.
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Example of converting CGPA to Percentage
Let's assume a student has a CGPA of 8.0 and has completed 60 credits. The institution uses a 10.0 scale for grading. To convert the CGPA to a percentage, the steps would be as follows:
- Identify the CGPA scale used in your institution.The institution uses a 10.0 scale for grading.
- Determine the total number of credits or courses taken. The student has completed 60 credits.
- Calculate your total grade points. Multiply the CGPA (8.0) with the total number of credits (60) to get the total grade points. 8.0 x 60 = 480.
- Divide your total grade points by the total credits or courses taken. Divide the total grade points (480) by the total number of credits (60). 480/60 = 8.0.
- Multiply the result by the maximum possible grade points. Multiply the result obtained in Step 4 (8.0) by the maximum possible grade points for the institution (10). 8.0 x 10 = 80%.
Therefore, the student's percentage would be 80% after converting the CGPA of 8.0 on a 10.0 scale to a percentage.
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Difference between CGPA and Percentage
CGPA and Percentage are both methods used to measure academic achievement of a student. But, there are certain differences between them:
- Calculation: CGPA is calculated by taking the average of grade points obtained in all subjects, while Percentage is calculated by dividing the total marks obtained by the maximum possible marks and multiplying by 100.
- Scale: CGPA is measured on a scale of 10, while Percentage is measured on a scale of 100.
- Weightage: CGPA gives equal weightage to all subjects, whereas Percentage can give varying weightage to different subjects, depending on the maximum marks allocated to them.
- Precision: CGPA is generally considered to be more precise than Percentage, as it is calculated up to two decimal places, while Percentage is calculated up to one decimal place.
- Universality: CGPA is a more universal measure, as it is used in many education systems around the world, while Percentage is more specific to certain countries or regions.
Difference between GPA and CGPA
GPA (Grade Point Average) and CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) are both methods of measuring the academic performance of a student in an academic setting. But, there are differences between the two. The differences lie in their calculation method and the scope of courses they cover.
GPA is the average of all the grades earned in a given academic session which can be a semester or a year. It is measured by dividing the total grade points earned by the total number of credit hours taken in that given semester or academic year.
CGPA, on the other hand, is the average of all the GPAs earned in all the given semesters or years of an academic period. It is measured by dividing the total grade points earned in all semesters or years by the total number of credit hours taken in all semesters or years.
Therefore, it gives an overall picture of a student's academic performance through their full academic program whether semesters or years. In summary, GPA is the average of grades earned in a specific academic period, while CGPA is the cumulative average of all the grades earned throughout an academic program.
CGPA to Percentage On 10-Point Scale
Converting CGPA to percentage on a 10-point scale requires knowledge of the grading system used by your educational institution. Assuming your institution uses a 10-point grading scale where a CGPA of 10 represents the highest achievable grade, you can use the following formula to convert your CGPA to a percentage:
- Percentage = (CGPA/10) x 100
For example, if your CGPA is 8.5 on a 10-point scale, the corresponding percentage would be:
- Percentage = (8.5/10) x 100 = 85%
Therefore, your percentage score would be 85% on a 10-point scale.
Advantages of the CGPA System
Some advantages of using the CGPA system for assessing a student's performance are:
- Standardization: It leads to a standardized method of measuring academic performance, as it is recognised by various colleges, universities, and educational institutions across the globe.
- Easy comparison: Because it provides a uniform scale, therefore it becomes easy to compare students' academic performance especially when they come from different schools, programs, or even countries.
- Motivation: CGPA can be a source of motivation for students, as it helps them track their progress and set academic goals.
- Precision: CGPA is a more precise way of measuring academic performance than traditional percentage-based grading systems, as it takes into account the grade point assigned to each grade.
- Transcripts: CGPA is often used on transcripts, making it easier for employers and other institutions to evaluate a student's academic performance.
- Scholarship eligibility: CGPA is used to determine scholarship eligibility for many academic programs, and can be a factor in securing financial aid.
Thus, it is no wonder that given its calculations and benefits that CGPA is being used across educational institutions in the world to find out about academic performance of a student. I hope that you will find this blog useful in trying to find out how to convert CGPA to percentage and its various benefits.
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