Multiple Choice Score Calculator
Multiple-choice tests are usually scored one point per correct answer, but some apply a correction for guessing that subtracts a fraction of a point for each wrong answer so that random guessing earns nothing on average. This calculator scores both ways. Enter the total questions, how many you got right, how many you got wrong, and the number of answer options per question, and it returns your rights-only raw score and percentage alongside the corrected score, using the standard penalty of one divided by the number of options minus one. Blanks are never penalized, matching classic correction-for-guessing rules.
Scoring formulas
rights-only score = correct
rights-only percentage = correct / total * 100
penalty per wrong = 1 / (options - 1)
corrected score = correct - wrong * penalty per wrong
corrected percentage = corrected score / total * 100
Omitted (blank) answers are total minus correct minus wrong and carry no penalty. The penalty makes the expected value of a random guess equal to zero.
Notes
- If your test has no guessing penalty, use the rights-only figures and answer every question.
- Under correction for guessing, leaving a question blank avoids the penalty.
- More options mean a smaller penalty per wrong answer.
- The corrected score can be negative in the extreme; most tests floor it at zero.
- Always confirm the scoring rule published for your specific test.
Multiple choice scoring: frequently asked questions
How is a multiple-choice test scored?
The simplest method gives one point per correct answer, so your raw score is the number correct and the percentage is correct divided by total questions. Some tests apply a correction for guessing, subtracting a fraction of a point for each wrong answer. This calculator does both.
What is correction for guessing?
Correction for guessing (negative marking) subtracts points for wrong answers to offset the advantage of random guessing. The standard formula subtracts 1 divided by (number of options minus 1) per wrong answer. For 4-option questions, each wrong answer costs one-third of a point, which makes random guessing worth zero on average.
Are omitted (blank) answers penalized?
Under classic correction for guessing, no. Only wrong answers are penalized; blanks neither earn nor lose points. That is why some tests advise against guessing when correction is applied. Enter your omitted count so the calculator can separate blanks from wrong answers.
Why does the number of options matter?
The guessing penalty is set so that random guessing yields no expected gain. With more answer options, a random guess is less likely to be right, so the penalty per wrong answer is smaller. The formula 1 / (options - 1) captures this exactly.
Does every test use negative marking?
No. Many tests simply count correct answers with no penalty, in which case you should always answer every question. Check your test's scoring rules. This calculator shows both the rights-only score and the corrected score so you can apply whichever your test uses.
Official sources
- National Center for Education Statistics: NCES (assessment and scoring context).
- U.S. Department of Education: official site.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. The correction-for-guessing formula is a standard psychometric definition. See our methodology.