Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) Formula

Mathematics & Education Formula • Published on September 01, 2026 • Last updated September 01, 2026

Mathematical Equation

$$\text{GPA} = \frac{\sum (\text{Course Credit Hours} \times \text{Grade Point Value})}{\sum \text{Course Credit Hours}}$$

Variable Definitions

Credit Hours

Weight value assigned to academic course

Grade Point Value

Numerical value of letter grade (A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0)

Detailed Explanation

In-Depth Guide

Grade Point Average (GPA) standardizes academic performance by weighting earned letter grades against total course credit hours on a standard 4.0 scale.

How to Calculate: Step-by-Step

1. Convert each course letter grade into numerical points (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). 2. Multiply grade points by course credit hours to calculate Quality Points for each course. 3. Add Quality Points across all courses. 4. Divide total Quality Points by total attempted Credit Hours.

Worked Calculation Example

Course 1 (3 credits, Grade A = 4.0 -> 12 points). Course 2 (4 credits, Grade B = 3.0 -> 12 points): - Total Quality Points = 24. - Total Credit Hours = 7. - Cumulative GPA = 24 / 7 = 3.43.

Common Use Cases

College semester GPA tracking
High school transcript evaluation
Scholarship eligibility assessment

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