What Grade Is 42 out of 60?
42 out of 60 is 70% — a C- on the standard US scale, a satisfactory score.
- Percentage70%
- Letter gradeC-
- Missed18 pts
- For an A (90%)54/60
Score breakdown for a 60-point test
| Score | Percent | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 54/60 | 90% | A- |
| 48/60 | 80% | B- |
| 42/60 | 70% | C- |
| 42/60 | 70% | C- |
How this is calculated
Divide the points earned by the points possible and multiply by 100: 42 ÷ 60 × 100 = 70%. On the common 10-point-band scale that lands in the C- range — you'd have needed 54/60 to reach the A band.
Common questions
How are letter grades calculated from percentages?
Most US schools map percentages to letters in 10-point bands: 90–100 is an A range, 80–89 a B range, 70–79 a C range, 60–69 a D range, and below 60 an F. Plus/minus splits each band roughly in thirds (e.g. 90–92 = A-, 93–96 = A, 97+ = A+). Individual schools and professors can and do vary the cutoffs.
How many points is each letter grade worth on a test?
On the standard scale, each letter band spans 10 percentage points, so on a 50-point test a letter grade is about 5 points, and on a 20-point quiz it's about 2. That's why one careless mistake matters more on short assessments — a single 2-point question on a 20-point quiz is an entire letter grade.