A test score percentage tells you what share of questions you answered correctly. It is simple to compute but easy to misread when curves, weighting, or partial credit are involved.
The basic formula
Score (%) = (Correct answers ÷ Total questions) × 100
Example
42 correct out of 50 questions: 42 ÷ 50 = 0.84 → 84%
Putting the number in context
Compare to the class average when available. An 84% might be excellent on a hard exam or average on an easy one.
Partial credit
Some teachers score by points earned rather than questions right — the same percentage logic applies to total points.