Grade weight determines how much a particular grade will affect your overall average. A grade with a higher weight has a greater impact on the average than a grade with a lower weight.
Weight is a number that defines the importance of a grade. Commonly used weights are 1, 2, 3, or 0.5. For example, a major test may have a weight of 2 or 3, while a small quiz or oral response has a weight of 1.
Example: If you get a 4 on a major test (weight 2) and a 6 on a small quiz (weight 1), the 4 from the test will affect your average twice as much as the 6 from the quiz.
Thanks to weights, a major test or important exam has a greater impact on your average than a regular oral response or small quiz. This is fair because students typically prepare more for major tests and they cover more material.