Use Case: Complex Calculations

There are lots of scenarios where you might need to make complex calculations within the gradebook in order to get the grades you want, and the main way of creating these grade items is via formula grade items.

Some situations you might want to use formula grade items:

• Scenario 1: Give users who achieved over 75% on all grade items in a category 100% for the category.
• Scenario 2: Drop the lowest two grades in a set of three grades
• Scenario 3: Fail users who receive less than 60% on either their activity 1 or activity 2

Essentially formula grade items allow you put conditions around that formula grade item.

How to work the editor

There are various terms in the formula editor that provide you with conditions:

1. MAX Calculates the maximum (largest) value in a set of values.
2. MIN Calculates the minimum (smallest) value in a set of values.
3. SUM Calculates the sum (total) of a set of values.
4. AVG Calculates the average for a set of values by adding all the values and dividing by the total number of values. 
5. IF Operates as a Boolean statement that returns either the value set as true or as false. e.g. If users get over 65% in 3 grade items in a category, give them a 100% Pass.

The image below shows you the various parts of the formula editor called out.

If you want step by step instructions, visit D2L documentation

Formula Examples

Scenario 1: Give users who achieved over 75% on all grade items in a category 100% for the category.

= IF {MIN{[Week1.Percent],[Week2.Percent],[Week3.Percent]} < 75, 0, 100}

Scenario 2: Drop the lowest two grades in a set of three grades

= SUM{[G1.PointsReceived],[G2.Points Received], [G3Points Received]} – MIN{[G1.PointsReceived],[G2.Points Received]} – IF{MIN{[G2.Points Received], [G3Points Received]} = MIN{[G1.PointsReceived],[G2.Points Received]}, MIN{[G1.PointsReceived],[G3.Points Received]}, MIN {[G2.PointsReceived],[G3.Points Received]}}

Scenario 3: Fail users who receive less than 60% on either Activity 1 or Activity 2.

= IF {MIN{[Midterm.Percent],[Final.Percent]} < 60, 0, SUM {[A1.Percent],[A2.Percent],[G1.Percent],[G2.Percent],[Activity1.Percent],[Activity2.Percent]}}

This is the most complex thing the gradebook can do, but lots of what else it can do is hugely beneficial to facilitators.