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Why can gymnastics scores be higher than 10 points?

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Simone Biles of Team United States performs a flip above the balance beam during the Women's Balance Beam Final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. — gymnastics Simone Biles performing on the balance beam at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (delayed until 2021). She won a bronze medal in the event.

In artistic gymnastics, scores can exceed 10 points because the current scoring system, implemented in 2006, is composed of two distinct parts: an execution score and a difficulty score.1

Execution Score: This component starts at 10.0, and judges apply deductions for mistakes, poor form, or errors in the routine.1
Difficulty Score: This component starts at zero, and judges add points based on the technical difficulty of the moves performed.1

Because the difficulty score has no theoretical cap, the total score—which is the sum of the execution and difficulty components—can rise well above 10 points. In elite competition, it is common to see scores ranging between 15 and 17 points. This system replaced the previous rules, which were famously associated with the pursuit of a "perfect 10".1