17 out of 20 is 85%, which is a B on the standard US scale. Three wrong answers cost 15 percentage points, and an A would need 19 correct because the A band starts at 93%.
17 out of 20 in percentage and letter grade
Seventeen correct out of twenty is 85%. On the standard US scale a B runs from 83% to 86%, so this score sits in the middle of the B band.
It is a strong result that just misses the B+. A B+ starts at 87%, which needs 17.4 correct answers on a 20-question test, and part of a question cannot be earned.
| Score | Percentage | Letter grade | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 / 20 | 95% | A | 1 wrong |
| 18 / 20 | 90% | A− | 2 wrong |
| 17 / 20 | 85% | B | 3 wrong |
| 16 / 20 | 80% | B− | 4 wrong |
| 15 / 20 | 75% | C | 5 wrong |
| 12 / 20 | 60% | D− | 8 wrong (lowest pass) |
What an A would have needed
An A needs 93% or better. On a 20-question test that is 18.6 correct answers, which rounds up to 19. So the jump from 17 correct to an A means getting two more questions right.
This is why a single wrong answer matters more on a short test. On a 20-question paper each question is worth 5 points of the final percentage, so two slips are the difference between a B and an A−.
Is 85% a good grade?
Yes. An 85% is a solid B and keeps most students in good standing for college admissions and scholarship eligibility. Many colleges treat a B as the realistic target for a course that counts toward a major, since it usually maps to 3.0 grade points.
If the class uses plus and minus grading, an 85% is a straight B worth 3.0. If it uses a lenient scale where an A starts at 90%, the same paper becomes an A−.
Check other scores
Enter any score in the score out of X converter for an instant percentage and letter grade, or open the grading scale for 20 questions for the full wrong-answer table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 17 out of 20 as a percentage?+
17 out of 20 is 85%. Divide 17 by 20 to get 0.85, then multiply by 100.
What letter grade is 85%?+
85% is a B on the standard US scale, where the B band runs from 83% to 86%.
Is 17 out of 20 an A?+
No. An A starts at 93%, so a 20-question test needs 19 correct for an A. 17 correct is a B.
How many can I miss and still get an A?+
On a 20-question test you can miss 1 question and still get an A at 95%. Missing 2 gives 90%, an A−.
Muhammd Salman
I build and maintain Grade Calculator independently. Every worked example on this site is checked against the underlying formula, with notes on where school or instructor policy can change the result. More about this site →