Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the most important numbers in your academic life. Here's the algebra behind it.

First, you must translate your letter grades into their numeric equivalents (e.g., A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0).

Each class has 'credits' or 'units,' which represents its weight. An algebra class might be 1 credit, while gym is 0.5.

The core of the calculation is a 'weighted average.'

For each class, you multiply the grade's numeric value by the number of credits for that class. This gives you your 'quality points.'

The algebraic formula is: Total Quality Points / Total Credits = GPA.

Let's say you got an A (4 points) in a 1-credit class and a B (3 points) in a 1-credit class.

Your total quality points are (4*1) + (3*1) = 7.

Your total credits are 1 + 1 = 2.

Your GPA is 7 / 2 = 3.5. It's a simple, powerful algebraic calculation.