First figure your homework grade.  Your HW percentage is your total
number of HW points divided by the number of HW points which are possible.
There are about 2055 possible HW points for the entire semester.  However, 
we will figure the final HW percentage out of only 1850 points (or about
90% of all possible points should the number of possible points change).  
You can't get more than 100% though, so once you have 1850 points you don't 
need to submit any more HW (although hopefully you will find the process of 
submission and feedback to be good practice for the tests). 

     Your MP gradebook ("My Scores") gives you your total MP points for
the year.  Add your scores on the written problems to this number; what 
results is your total number of HW points.  As an example, say you have 
earned 1502 MP points and 126 points on the written problems.  Your total 
HW points for the semester would then be:

              1502 + 126 = 1628 total HW points

With 1580 HW points for the semester your HW percentage would be:

                      1628/1850  = 88.0%

HW is worth 8 points overall, so you would have earned 7.04 HW points
(i.e. 88.0% of 8)

   685 HOMEWORK POINTS ARE REQUIRED FOR A PASSING GRADE IN THE COURSE.
             LESS THAN 685 HOMEWORK POINTS IS AN AUTOMATIC E.



     Now figure your CPS grade.  There are expected to be about 50 CPS
questions over the course of the semester, so the maximum possible CPS
score will be about 50 points.  The final CPS grade will be determined
as a percentage out of 45 points (or about 90% of all possible CPS points
should the number of possible CPS points change).  In Fall 2008, there
ended up being 55 CPS questions, so the final percentage was taken out
of 49.5 points (90% of 55)  Say you have earned 41.3 CPS points for the
semester.  Your CPS percentage would be

                       41.3/49.5 = 83.4%.

CPS is worth 5 points overall, so your CPS points for the semester are
4.17 (83.4% of 5).



     OK, now figure your recitation grade.  We grade quizzes out of 
20 points and we take your best 4 of 5 quizzes.  Say your best 4 quizzes 
total up to 59 points.  We grade group exercises out of 10 points and
we take your best 8 out of 9 group exercise.  Say your best 8 group
exercises total up to 72 points.  Your recitation average is 59 points
plus 72 points divided by the total recitation points possible, which
is 160 points (8 exercises plus 4 quizzes).  So your recitation average
is

                 (59+72)/160 = 81.9%

Your recitation grade is worth 7 points overall so your recitation 
points for the semester are 5.73 (82% of 7).



     Now figure your test total.  Take your best 4 MC scores and your
best 4 free-response scores, add them all, divide by 4 and then multiply
by 0.6.  For example, say your MC grades are 35, 45, 40, 30, and 45,
and say your free-response grades are 44, 40, 43, 46, and 36.  
79, 85, 83, 72, and 91.  Your test average is then                     
                                                              
     (35+45+40+45 + 44+40+43+46)/4 = 84.5

We now multiply by .6 since the Tests are worth 60 points overall.

     84.5 times 0.6 = 50.7 




     OK, now you have your pre-exam total.


                 HW      7.04
                 CPS     4.17
                 QUIZ    5.73
                 TEST   50.70

                total   67.64


The pre-exam maximum is 80 points, so your pre-exam percentage is

           67.64/80 = 84.55%


     Will you be able to get an A?  That depends on what the final
grade scale is.  I start with no curve.  That is 

                 90 and above           A
                 80-90                  B
                 70-80                  C
                 60-70                  D
                 below 60               E

If the class average is 75 or higher, there is no change.  If the
class average falls below 75, I feel obliged to relax this scale
somewhat.  Look at 

                131 Fall 2008 web page , or
                131 Fall 2007 web page , or
                131 Spring 2007 web page , or
                131 Spring 2006 web page , or
                131 Spring 2005 web page , or
                131 Fall 2002 web page , or
                131 Spring 2002 web page , or
                131 Fall 2001 web page , or
                131 Fall 1999 web page 

to get an idea for what this year's scale might be.  I will make 
a guess at the final grade scale during the week before the exam, 
but the true final grade scale ultimately depends on overall class 
exam performance.


     Let's get back to our example.  You have 67.64 points going in
to the exam.  The exam is worth 20 so the best you can do is 87.64,
not enough to get an A if the class average is 75 or higher.  On
the other hand, you need at least 12.36 points from the exam to insure
yourself of a B.  The exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions,
so you need to get at least (12.36/20)*40 right, or 25 out of 40, to
insure yourself of a B. 

Thanks. GBA