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 3500 possible HW points for the entire semester.  However, 
we will figure the final HW percentage out of only 3150 points (or about
90% of all possible points should the number of possible points change).  
Since we decided not to use any written HW problems this semester, there
were only 3300 total HW points for the semester; the final HW percentage
is figured out of only 2970 points.  You can't get more than 100% though,
so once you have 2970 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 WebAssign "Grades" link gives you your total WebAssign 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 2613.6 WebAssign points.  Your total HW points for the semester
would then be 2613.6 since there were no written HW's this semester.

With 2613.6 HW points for the semester your HW percentage would be:

                      2613.6/2970  = 88.0%

HW is worth 14 points overall, so you would have earned 12.32 HW points
(i.e. 88.0% of 14)

   1100 HOMEWORK POINTS ARE REQUIRED FOR A PASSING GRADE IN THE COURSE.
             LESS THAN 1100 HOMEWORK POINTS IS AN AUTOMATIC E.



     Now figure your Turning Point grade.  There are expected to be about
50 Turning Point questions over the course of the semester, so the maximum
possible Turning Point score will be about 150 points.  The final Turning
Point grade will be determined as a percentage out of 135 points (or about
90% of all possible TP points should the number of possible TP points
change).  There ended up being 72 TP questions, for a total possible TP
score of 216 points; the final grade was determined as a percentage of
190 points (88.0% of all possible TP points)  Say you have earned 158
Turning Point points for the semester.  Your Turning Point percentage would
then be

                       158/190 = 83.2%.

Turning Point is worth 5 points overall, so your TP points for the
semester are 4.16 (83.2% of 5).



     OK, now figure your recitation grade.  We grade quizzes out of 
25 points and we take your best 3 of 4 quizzes.  Say your best 3 quizzes 
total up to 55 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 155 points (8 exercises plus 3 quizzes).  So your recitation average
is

                 (55+72)/155 = 81.9%

Your recitation grade is worth 7 points overall so your recitation 
points for the semester are 5.74 (81.9% of 7).



     Now figure your test total.  Take your best 3 MC scores and your
best 3 free-response scores, add them all, divide by 3.75, and then
multiply by 0.54.  For example, say your MC grades are 55, 45, 40, and
55, and say your free-response grades are 46, 60, 43, and 56.  
Your test average is then                     
                                                              
    ( (55+45+55) + (46+60+56) )/3.75 = 84.5

We now multiply by .54 since the Tests are worth 54 points overall.

     84.5 times 0.54 = 45.65




     OK, now you have your pre-exam total.


                 HW     12.32
                 TP      4.16
                 REC     5.74
                 TEST   45.65

                total   67.86


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

           67.86/80 = 84.83%


     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 

                121 Spring 2010 web page , or
                121 Fall 2006 web page , or
                121 Fall 2005 web page , or
                121 Fall 2004 web page , or
                121 Spring 2003 web page , or
                121 Spring 2001 web page , or
                121 Spring 2000 web page , or
                121 Spring 1997 web page , or
                121 Spring 1996 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, 
(see histogram) but the true final grade scale ultimately depends
on overall class exam performance.


     Let's get back to our example.  You have 67.86 points going in
to the exam.  The exam is worth 20 so the best you can do is 87.86,
not enough to get an A if the class average is 75 or higher.  On
the other hand, you need at least 12.14 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 (12.14/20)*40 right, or 25 out of 40, to
insure yourself of a B. 

Thanks. GBA