See the distribution of grades in a class.
A grade distribution is summarised three ways because each answers a different question. The class average grade point, computed on the conventional four-point scale, gives the central tendency. The pass rate counts everything above F and is the figure most often reported to administrators. The modal grade shows where the distribution actually peaks, which can sit well away from the mean when the shape is skewed — a class with many As and a tail of Fs has a modest average and a modal A.
Class average
Class GPA = (4A + 3B + 2C + 1D) / total students
Pass rate
Pass rate = students graded D or above / total students x 100
Because a mean of 2.6 is produced both by a class clustered on C and by a bimodal class split between A and F. Those need different teaching responses, and only the mode distinguishes them.
For the course, usually yes; for a prerequisite or a major requirement, often not. This calculation counts D as passing, which matches the conventional institutional definition.