Know How to Calculate Percentage of Marks the Right Way

If you're planning to study abroad, knowing how to calculate percentage of marks is crucial. Many universities use different grading systems, such as GPA, CGPA, or percentile rankings, and may require you to convert your marks accordingly.

The basic percentage formula is:

Percentage = (Marks Obtained ÷ Total Marks) × 100

For example, if you scored 450 out of 500, your percentage would be:

(450 ÷ 500) × 100 = 90%

In this blog, we'll explain how to calculate your percentage, convert it into international grading scales, and understand its role in university applications. Stay with us for step-by-step guidance!

Learn How to Calculate Percentage of Marks Using a Simple Formula

If you plan to study abroad, understanding how to calculate the percentage of marks is essential, as many international universities require academic scores in percentage format for admissions. 

Calculating the percentage of marks helps understand the performance of candidates in an exam. They can use a basic formula to easily find the share of the total marks they have obtained. To know how to find a percentage of marks, the formula is very simple. 

Let’s go through the step-by-step method to calculate it accurately.

Percentage = (Obtained Marks ÷ Total Marks) × 100

Where:-

• Obtained Marks = Marks received 
• Total Marks = Maximum marks possible 

Here are the Steps:

Step 1 : Obtain Your Marks

The first thing is to have your marks in place. This could be a single subject's marks or a combination of marks from multiple subjects.

Step 2: Determine Total Marks

Find out the total marks possible for the exam. This can be 100 and is usually mentioned on the question paper. 

Step 3: Apply the Formula

Put the obtained marks and total marks into the percentage formula: Percentage = (Obtained Marks / Total Marks) × 100

Step 4: Calculate the Percentage

Perform the calculations to get your percentage. This figure will represent your performance relative to the maximum achievable marks.

So, dividing the obtained marks by the total marks and multiplying the result by 100 will give you the percentage. 

Let’s understand with an example:

Example 1: How to take out percentage of marks?

Rahul scored 875 marks out of 1000 in an exam. Let’s find his percentage in the exam.

Solution:

• Marks obtained = 875
• Total÷Maximum marks = 1000

Percentage of Marks = Marks obtained /Total marks × 100

So, (875 / 1000) × 100
Percentage = 0.875 × 100
Percentage = 87.5%

So, Rahul scored 87.5% in the exam.

Example 2:

How to calculate the percentage of marks of 6 subjects?

To calculate the percentage of marks for 6 subjects, follow the below steps:

1. Calculate and add up the marks obtained in all 6 subjects.
2. Find the total marks of the 6 subjects (for example, if each subject is out of 100 marks, the total will be 600 marks).
3. Now, use the percentage formula:

Percentage of Marks = (Total Marks Obtained/ Total Maximum Marks) ×100

For example, Rohan scored the following marks in 6 subjects:

• Math – 85 
• Science – 90 
• English – 78 
• Hindi – 88 
• Social Studies – 80 
• Computer – 95 

Here are the steps to find the percentage:

Step 1: Add the marks:

85+90+78+88+80+95=516 

Step 2: Total maximum marks = 600

Step 3: Apply the formula:

 Percentage = (516​/600) × 100

= 0.86×100

= 86%

So, Rohan scored 86% in the exam.

Difference Between Percentage and Percentile 

Percentage and Percentile are comparable but have certain differences. Percentage is a value that shows how much a part is out of 100, while Percentile compares a score with others in a dataset to show its ranking. 

What is Percentage? 

A percentage represents a part of a whole out of 100. It is commonly used to compare values and measure performance. In academics, calculating the percentage of marks helps you understand your performance in exams, assignments, and projects.

Example of Percentage:

If a student scores 55 marks out of 100 in a physics exam, the percentage for the subject is calculated as:

(55/100) × 100 = 55%

Therefore, the student scored 55% in the physics exam.

Formula to Calculate:

(Number of parts/total number of possible parts) ×100 = percentage

What is Percentile? 

A percentile shows the percentage of values below a specific number. It is commonly used for rankings and comparisons. Percentiles divide a set of values into 100 equal parts and are written as x^th percentile, where x is a number. 

Example of Percentile:

If a student scores 85 marks and is in the 90th percentile, it means that the student performed better than 90% of the class taking the exam.

Formula to Calculate:

(Number of values that fall below "x" / total number of values) ×100 = Percentile (x) 

Percentage vs Percentile: Comparison

Here are the key factors of comparison between percentage and percentile:

Percentage	Percentile
It indicates the proportion of marks obtained	It indicates the ranking among a group of students/class.
It is a measurement unit that measures numbers out of 100	It is a method of ranking that determines the values of percentages above or below it.
The percentage is denoted by the symbol “%”	Percentile is denoted by the symbol xth where ‘x’ is a number.
The percentage is used to indicate the score of an individual and not a group.	Percentile compares scores in a given group.
The percentage represents no specific range or any numerical data.	Percentile denotes rankings, and it ranges between 1st and 100th
It may include decimal values such as 77.5%	It does not use decimals. Here, the values are represented in whole numbers, such as the 90th percentile.
It does not use quartiles as a reference.	It uses reference quartiles. For instance, the 25th percentile means the first quartile.

How to Calculate the Percentage of a Number?

The percentage of a number can be calculated in three different steps, as mentioned below:

Step 1:

The first step is to identify if the number is a fraction or a decimal, as this will determine how to calculate the percentage.

• A decimal like 0.25 represents a ratio of values.
• A fraction like 4/15 compares two numbers directly.

Step 2:

In the second step, you have to convert the number from a fraction to a decimal (if the number is a fraction) by dividing the numerator by the denominator.

• Example: 4/15 = 0.267

If the number is given in a decimal form, keep it as it is.

Step 3: 

Multiply the decimal (the result received in the previous step) by 100 to get the percentage.

• Example: 0.267 × 100 = 26.7%

Alternative Percentage Calculating Method

There is also an alternative method to calculate percentages by converting the fraction to have 100 as the denominator. However, this method works only when 100 is a multiple of the denominator. If not, you may stick to the standard method given above.

Example: Convert 7/25 to a percentage.

1. The fraction is 7/25
2. Convert the denominator to 100:
   So, (7/25) × (4/4) = 28/100
3. Now, multiply by 100:
   (28/100) × 100 = 28%

So, 7/25 = 28%.

How to Calculate Percentage Change

The percentage difference shows the difference in percentage between two numbers and how much a number has increased or decreased over time.

Here’s the Formula for Percentage Change:

% Change = New Value Subtracted by Original Value, Divided by the Original Value. Multiply the entire value by 100.

That is: [(New Value − Original Value)/Original Value​] × 100 

Hence, the change in value can be determined by subtracting the original value from the new value.

So, Change in Value = New Value – Original Value

Now, the change in value can be increase or decrease

• If the result is positive, it's a percentage increase.
• If the result is negative, it's a percentage decrease.

Example:

The price of a mobile phone increased from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000. Find the percentage increase.

Solution:

• Original Price = 10,000
• New Price = 12,000
• Change in Value = 12,000 - 10,000 = 2,000

So, the price increased by 20%.

Calculate Percentage: Increase and Decrease

Percentage Increase and Percentage Decrease help measure how much a value has gone up or gone down over time. It is useful in tracking price changes, exam scores, and business profits.

Percent Increase 

The ratio of a value increased to the original value, which is multiplied by 100, gives you the percent increase, expressed in percentage. If the new value is greater than the original value, it means there is a percentage increase in the original number.

Here’s the formula:

Percent Increase = [(new value - original value) / original value] × 100 

Which is = Increase in Value/Original Value × 100 

Here, if a value rises, the percentage also increases.

Steps Involved in Percent Increase Formula:  

Step 1: The first step is to determine the difference in values

New value - original value = increase

Step 2: In the second step, divide the increase. 

Divide the increase you obtained by subtracting the new and original values in the first step by the original value

X = Increase / original value

Step 3: Now, convert the number to a percentage

Percent increase = (increase / original value) x 100

X percent increase

Let’s understand it with an example:

Example:

The rent of a shop was ₹8,000 in September. It was increased to ₹12,000 in November. What is the percentage increase?

To calculate the percent increase:

Take into account the increase in rent by subtracting the new rent from the old one.

So, it is ₹12,000 - ₹8,000 = ₹4,000

The original rent was = ₹8000

So, percent increase = (4000/8000) ×100

= 0.5×100=50%

So, the rent has increased by 50% (percentage).

Percent Decrease

Similar to the Percent Increase, the ratio of a value decreased from the original value, which is multiplied by 100, gives you the percent decrease, expressed again in percentage. If the new value is less than the original value, the percentage change in the value represents the percent decrease in the original number.

Here’s the formula:

Percent Decrease = Decrease in Value/Original Value × 100 

Here, by subtracting the New Value from the Original Value, you can find the Decrease in Value. 

So, the Decrease in value = Original value – New value.

Here, if a value decreases, the percentage also decreases.

Steps Involved in Percent Decrease Formula:  

Step 1: The first step is to calculate the decrease in values

Original Value - New value = Decrease

Step 2: In the second step, use the formula for percent decrease. Divide the value you obtained in step one by the original value

Decrease in Value/Original Value × 100 

Step 3: Now, convert the number to a percentage

Percent Decrease = (Decrease / Original value) x 100

X Percent Decrease

Let’s understand it with an example:

A kitchen appliance that originally cost ₹20,000 is now available at ₹16,000 after a price drop. How do you find the percent decrease?

• The first step is to calculate the decrease: ₹20,000 - ₹16,000 = ₹4,000
• Now, to calculate the percent decrease, use the formula = (Decrease / Original Price) × 100
  = (₹4,000 / ₹20,000) × 100
  = 20%

So, the appliance price has decreased by 20%.

Application and Importance of Percentage in Academics

Percentage is a universal way to measure and compare performance in academics. It helps in grading, determining eligibility for further studies, and even qualifying for competitive exams. 

Let’s understand the significant role that percentage plays in:

Academic Results:

• Percentage determines the scores and performance of candidates in academic report cards.
• Percentage represents the academic achievement of students by showing how much of the total marks they have scored.
• It converts GPA grades into percentages to identify if the marks received are showing improvements.
• It helps in tracking students’ progress in their entire academic year or over time.

Competitive Exam Results:

• Percentages are important for competitive exams, especially in entrance exams like engineering, medicine, and management. 
• Percentages help create merit lists for admission to top institutions.
• Percentages help students get scholarships based on cut-offs.
• Even a slight percentage difference impacts the eligibility of candidates, which reflects its importance. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Calculating Percentages

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when calculating percentages:

• Always check the marks twice to avoid errors of using wrong inputs to get wrong calculations.
• Rounding the percentage by ignoring decimals can make percentages inaccurate in some cases.
• Always divide by total marks before multiplying by 100. Mistakes in the formula can give wrong calculations.
• Don’t mix subject-wise and overall total marks. Any confusion in total marks can give wrong calculations. 
• Small calculation mistakes can change the result. Hence, not rechecking the calculations can also give wrong calculations.

Advanced Tips for Calculations

• Re-check Values:  Recheck and verify the marks obtained before calculating the percentage
• Follow the Formula Step by Step: Make sure to break down the calculations as per the steps to ensure accuracy
• Verify the Results Again: If you are using a calculator, make sure to do it manually once to verify the results
• Keep the Decimal Points in Mind: Do not ignore the decimal points as they may cause errors
• Avoid Haste: While calculating, avoid doing it in haste as it may lead to wrong calculations   

Conclusion

Academic performance can be measured by calculating the percentage of marks quickly and effectively. This way, students can understand their strengths and the areas where they need to work on. Knowing how to calculate the percentage of marks helps in knowing the percentage and understanding your exam performance, which boosts confidence and allows setting realistic goals. The formula to calculate percentages is simple, and you can either use a calculator or do it manually.

Students who are willing to study abroad can find their percentage scores to check if they are eligible to apply to different global universities as per their cut-off percentages to navigate their foreign abroad dream.  upGrad offers a wide range of study abroad programs for students to explore.