How to Determine Your Chances of Passing a Course After Missing a Midterm Exam

Many students find themselves in a situation where they have missed a midterm exam and wonder if they still have a chance to pass the course. In this article, we will break down the grading components and provide a detailed calculation to help you determine your chances of success based on your current standing and the final exam.

Grading Components and Their Importance

Let's examine the components and their contributions to your overall grade:

First Midterm: 30% of the total grade. Assuming you passed with a minimum of 50% on this exam. Second Midterm: 30% of the total grade. Unfortunately, you were absent and missed this exam, scoring 0. Final Exam: 40% of the total grade.

Current Score Calculation

To start, let's calculate your current score based on the first midterm:

First Midterm Contribution: 0.30 × 50 15

Your second midterm score is 0, contributing nothing to your current grade:

Second Midterm Contribution: 0.30 × 0 0

To pass the course, you need at least 50% of the total grade. Using this information, we can set up the equation for your final exam score:

Total Grade: 15 0 (0.40 × Final Exam Score) ≥ 50

Rearranging the equation to solve for the Final Exam Score, we get:

(0.40 × Final Exam Score) ≥ 35

Final Exam Score ≥ 35 / 0.40 87.5

Conclusion

Based on your current standing, you would need to score at least 87.5 on the final exam to pass the course with a minimum overall grade of 50. This is a relatively high score, especially if the final exam is challenging. Only you can determine if you feel confident in achieving this score. If you do not feel confident, it is likely you may not pass the course.

What If You Missed the Second Midterm for a Valid Reason?

If you were sick or had to be elsewhere and missed the second midterm for a valid reason, your school should arrange a make-up exam. If you just skipped the exam without a valid reason, you may be failing the course regardless of your final exam score.

Final Notes

To provide a more accurate assessment, please provide your exam grade on the first test and the minimum passing percentage for the course.