Understanding how weighted averages work will be a very important topic for you in this course, since your grades are determined in this way. In this project, you will create an Excel spreadsheet that can calculate a student's final grade in a course. You will then submit responses to several questions regarding your project in IvyLearn. Excel documents ONLY should be uploaded (xls or xlsx file extensions only).

In this project you are required to do the following:

1. Create an Excel spreadsheet that will be capable of calculating a student's final grade in a given course. Keep in mind that weighting is involved in determining the final grade. You should NOT be using a template for this project. You will be required to CREATE the gradebook from a blank worksheet. Your Excel spreadsheet should contain the following:

• Your name, course name and project name.
• A data table labeled by Category using the category headings and scores on the next page for a MATH 123 class (DO NOT use any of your own scores).
• A table to calculate the final course percentage with the following headings: Categories, Category Weights, Category Averages and Category Percentage Points.
• Category Weights given on the next page used to determine the final weighted percentage for a MATH 123 class.
• A final course percentage based on the percent weightings. The cell where the final course percentage should be located at the bottom of your grade book calculation table and should be labeled. That cell should contain a formula used to calculate the weighted final course percentage. If a value is changed in your spreadsheet of individual scores, your final course percentage calculation should immediately recalculate. Please limit your use of Excel functions to those used in the course (An 'Excel Reference sheet' can be found in the module) Highlight the final course percentage cell.

Typed Responses in MS Word: Your typed responses for this project will consist of answering the short-answer questions given below. Each short-answer response should be a minimum of 3 sentences and 50 words. Use proper quantitative reasoning and wording to address the solution. This should clearly convey your message to a reader who is not taking Math 123. Make sure to use your spreadsheet to answer the "what if" questions with specific values and provide support for your statements. See the last page of this project description for samples of what poorly written responses and well written responses would look like before you answer the questions below. Questions are not cumulative - return to your original spreadsheet values before going on to answer the next question. Your answers to these questions will be typed in and submitted in IvyLearn using the link to Project 1.

1. Building the gradebook:

• Explain in paragraph form using complete college appropriate sentences how you created the Excel worksheet you have used for this project. This should be an overview of how you did this. Write your explanation of what you did as if writing to someone not in this course. This should not say things like "I went to cell A1 and typed something in", that is too specific for your specific spreadsheet. It should have the bent of explaining how to calculate grades, not focused on entering the data.
• Include an example of each of the different functions/formulas you used but avoid using cell references (do not say things like R2 or D2, etc.).
• Include the final course percentage you calculated in your spreadsheet rounded to the nearest tenth.
• Include what letter grade in the course this student earned based on the percentage calculated?

1. Increasing project scores:

• If this student could earn more points back on the project scores, what would the average percent for the project category need to be to increase the student's overall class grade to the next letter grade?
• Explain how you came to your conclusion. Remember to include the new percentage you calculated in your explanation along with the new letter grade. If it is not possible, state this in your response along with an explanation of how you calculated it.
• Your response should be in paragraph form, using college appropriate sentences, rephrasing the question, should give all necessary quantitative reasoning, and an explanation to support how you came to this conclusion.

1. Raising course grade in course (return to your original grade book):

• The student presented here was disappointed that they did not receive a grade of a C or higher. If the student could have changed one score to raise their grade, what category would this one score come from? Why did you choice this category?
• What would their overall course percentage and letter grade change to if they received a 100% for this one score?
• What could have helped them to get a 100% as the score?
• When writing your response to this question your answer should be in paragraph form, using college appropriate sentences, rephrasing the question, and should give all necessary quantitative reasoning to support how you came to this conclusion.

1. Raising course grade by scoring higher on quiz (return to your original grade book):

• How high would the student need to score on the missing quiz to bring the course grade to the next letter grade?
• How did missing a quiz effect the overall student's grade in the course?
• When writing your response to this question your answer should be in paragraph form, using college appropriate sentences, rephrasing the question, and should give all necessary quantitative reasoning to support how you came to this conclusion.

1. Recalculate gradebook (return to original grade book):

• Students are allowed unlimited attempts on homework questions and unit reviews. There are also multi-attempts allowed on comprehensive review and quizzes. A student also can ask for help on projects before submitting. If this student took advantage of all their resources and scored an 100% average in each of these categories (Comprehensive review, projects, quizzes, instructor's choice, and Homework). What would the student's average be in this course?
• What advice would you give this student in future courses?
• When writing your response to this question your answer should be in paragraph form, using college appropriate sentences, rephrasing the question, and should give all necessary quantitative reasoning to support how you came to this conclusion.

Use the following parameters and scores in your Excel spreadsheet

Methods of Evaluation: There will be Exam1, Exam2, Exam 3, and a Final Exam in this class. A total of 20 homework papers are given and 6 total quizzes are assigned. The course has 2 projects and 1 Comprehensive review.

Grading Scale: Category Weights: (NOTE: These are grade weights for a virtual Math 123 course) 90 - 100 A Exam 1: 15% Comprehensive Review: 5%

80 - 89 B Exam 2: 15% Project: 10%

70 - 79 C Exam 3: 15% Quiz: 5%

60 - 69 D Final Exam: 20% Homework: 5%

0 - 59 F Instructors Choice: 10%

The following scores are to be used for the sample student in this project. Assume that these scores are percentages.:

Table of grades for each category
Exam 1	70
Exam 2	77
Exam 3	80
Final Exam	60
Comp. Review	65
Project	50	75
Quiz	90	0	75	70	60	80
Instructor's choice	95	85	72	5	80	85	0	94
Homework (20 scores total)	100	90	80	85	95	90	0	0	64	90
100	100	95	75	91	88	50	78	100	90

Example of a poorly written response:

Yes, I think his score would go up and yes he would be able to reach the next letter grade.

This response is not good and will get a failing grade. This is vague and not quantitative. The response does not indicate the student used their Excel spreadsheet, made the indicated changes, or analyzed the results. The response does not meet minimum sentence or word count. No specific numbers have been used which indicates the student is guessing at the correct answer without numerical evidence to show they have done the problem.

Example of a well written response:

The student's score increased from 52 to 65%. This is an increase in the highest weighted category of 13%. The Test category is weighted at 40% of the overall grade. The student's original score in this category earned 20.8 percentage points, but with his improved test score, he now earns 26 percentage points in this category. The overall score went from a 69.9 to a 75.1 - a 5.2% increase in the overall grade. This student raised his overall grade from a D to a C.

Student changed the data in their Excel spreadsheet and reported several changes in category, overall score, and grade. Student analyzed the increase or decrease of the new score and have shown evidence of understanding the question and displayed a correct interpretation of the results.