Degree of difficulty (DD, sometimes called tariff or grade) is a rating used in several

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

s and other competitions to indicate the technical difficulty of a skill, performance, or course, often as a factor in

scoring SCORE may refer to: *SCORE (software), a music scorewriter program * SCORE (television), a weekend sports service of the defunct Financial News Network *SCORE! Educational Centers *SCORE International, an offroad racing organization *Sarawak Corrido ...

. Sports which incorporate a degree of difficulty in scoring include

bouldering Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed on small rock formations or Climbing wall, artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or Climbing harness, harnesses. While bouldering can be done without any equipment, most climbers ...

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), ...

equestrianism Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

figure skating Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympi ...

freestyle skiing Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, Mogul Skiing, moguls, Ski Cross, cross, Half-pipe skiing, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics. It can consist of a ...

gymnastics Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring Balance (ability), balance, Strength training, strength, Flexibility (anatomy), flexibility, agility, Motor coordination, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movem ...

rhythmic gymnastics Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform individually or in groups on a floor with an apparatus: hoop (rhythmic gymnastics), hoop, ball (rhythmic gymnastics), ball, Clubs (rhythmic gymnastics), clubs, ribbon (rhythmic gymnastics), ...

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

synchronized swimming Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming), also known as artistic swimming, is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by World A ...

and

trampoline A trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched between a steel frame often using many coiled spring (device), springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes. The fabric that use ...

. Degree of difficulty is typically intended to be an objective measure, in sports whose scoring may also rely on subjective judgments of performance.

By sport

Diving

The International Swimming Federation computes the degree of difficulty of dives according to a five-part formula, incorporating height, number of

somersault A somersault (also ''flip'', ''heli'', and in gymnastics ''salto'') is an acrobatics, acrobatic exercise in which a person's body Rotation#Sports, rotates 360° around a horizontal axis with the feet passing over the Human head, head. A somersau ...

s and twists, positioning, approach, and entry. The total judges' score is multiplied by the dive's degree of difficulty to determine the total score.

Figure skating

, each jump element is assigned a base value, reflective of its difficulty. These base values take into account factors including the number of rotations and edges used. When skaters perform a jump element, it is identified by the technical panel. For each element identified, the judging panel assigns a grade of execution (GOE) score ranging from -5 to 5 based on its execution by the skater. The GOE score is then added to or subtracted from the jump element's base value to determine a total score for each element. The sum of scores for each element performed forms the technical score component of the skater's total score.

Freestyle skiing

In the

discipline of aerials, the

International Ski Federation The International Ski and Snowboard Federation, also known as FIS (), is the highest international governing body for skiing and snowboarding. It was previously known as the International Ski Federation () until 26 May 2022 when the name was cha ...

pre-assigns a degree of difficulty score for each jump ranging from 2.050 to 5.000 for men and 2.050 to 5.300 for women. Each total judge's score is multiplied by the jump's degree of difficulty to determine a competitor's final score. A greater number of flips and twists increases degree of difficulty scores for jumps.

Gridiron football

In American football, kicking a field goal is worth three points regardless of the distance from which it is kicked; however, the distance plays into the likelihood that a field goal is successfully scored. For instance, from 30 yards out, there is roughly a 95% chance of success, compared to 65% from 50 yards. In fantasy football, the degree of difficulty for a field goal factors into scoring, by awarding more points for longer field goals: 3 points for 17-39 yards; 4 points for 40-49 yards; 5 points for 50-59 yards; and 6 points for 60 or more yards.

Gymnastics

artistic gymnastics Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which athletes perform short routines on different types of apparatus. The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), ...

, each skill is assigned a letter grade and difficulty value ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 by the

International Gymnastics Federation The International Gymnastics Federation ( French: ''Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique'', abbr. FIG) is the body governing competition in all disciplines of gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on 23 ...

(FIG) based on the '' Code of Points''. The eight highest-rated skills performed by women or the ten highest-rated skills moves performed by men are counted to give the difficulty score component of the final score. An exception to this is the vault event where each move has a pre-determined difficulty score. In

, each skill is also assigned a letter grade and difficulty value. However, the difficulty score is based on every skill performed during the routine, rather than the eight or ten highest-rated skills like in artistic gymnastics. Degree of difficulty is also enhanced by connecting skills together in combination.

Trampoline

The FIG gives difficulty points for number of

s, number of body twists and the body position in somersaults ( piked or straight). The total sum of the individual elements forms the difficulty score component of competitor's final score: * Each 1/4 rotation of a somersault = 0.1 DD * Completed 360° somersault (bonus) = 0.1 DD * Each 1/2 twist = 0.1 DD * Single somersaults without twist in pike/straight position = 0.1 DD * Somersaults over 720° in pike/straight position = 0.2 DD

Other sports

* Grade (bouldering) *

Grade (climbing) Many climbing routes have grades for the technical difficulty, and in some cases for the risks, of the route. The first ascent, first ascensionist can suggest a grade but it will be amended for the ''consensus view'' of subsequent ascents. W ...

* International Scale of River Difficulty

References

{{reflist Broad-concept articles Terminology used in multiple sports Sports rules and regulations Sports articles needing expert attention Water sports articles needing expert attention