Measures of Position

– Quartiles, Deciles
and Percentiles
Objective
■ To be able to find Quartiles,
Deciles,and Percentiles
Relevance
■ To be able to evaluate our
relative position when
interested in comparing
performance and knowing a
ranking.
Position
■ Used to describe the position of a data
value in relation to the rest of the data.

■ Types:
1. Quartiles
2. Percentiles
3. Deciles
Quartiles……
■ Are three values of the variable that
divides an ordered data set into quarters –
4 equal parts. They are called Q1 Q2 Q3
which determine the values for 25%, 50%
and 75% of the data respectively.Q2 is
equal to the median of the distribution.
Q1 – Lower Quartile
At most, 25% of data is smaller than Q1.

It divides the lower half of a data set in half.

Q2 - Median
■ The median divides the data set in half.

■ 50% of the data values fall below the

median and 50% fall above.
Q3 – Upper Quartile
■ At most, 25% of data is larger than Q3.

■ It divides the upper half of the data set in

half.
 Q1 Med Q3

25% 25% 25% 25%

 Computations of Quartiles of
Ungrouped Data.
1. Arrange the given data in ascending
order.
2. Compute for the position of the given
quartile using the formula k(n+1)/4, where
k is the given quartile and n is the sample
size.
3. Starting from the lowest observation,
locate the position in the data set. If the
computed position is not an integer use
interpolation.
Example……
■ The data below are the grades of the top
ten students of the class in a Science
Investigatory Project.

■ 80,95,88,87,89,97,92,81,89,98
■ Compute for Q3 of the given data.
 Example……
■ The data below are the grades of the top ten
students of the class in a Science
Investigatory Project.
■ 80,95,88,87,89,97,92,81,89,98
1. 80,81,87,88,89,89,92,95,97,98
2. Q3=?, k=3 and n=10
3(10+1)/4=3(11)/4=33/4= 8.25
3. Interpolate to get exact score.
95+0.25(97-95)=95+0.5= 95.5
Therefore Q3= 95.5
DECILES
■ Deciles are the nine values of a variable
that divides an ordered data set into ten
equal parts. These are D1, D2,D3…,D10.
 Computations of DECILES of
Ungrouped Data.
1. Arrange the given data in ascending
order.
2. Compute for the position of the given
quartile using the formula k(n+1)/10,
where k is the given decile and n is the
sample size.
3. Starting from the lowest observation,
locate the position in the data set. If the
computed position is not an integer use
interpolation.
 Example……

■ Compute for D6 based on the given data below.

■ 5, 12, 18, 14, 18, 19, 34, 35,

16, 57, 48, 36, 12, 20
 Example……
■ Compute for D6 based on the given data
below.
■ 5,12,18,14,18,19,34,35,16,57,48,36,12,20

1. 5,12,12,14,16,18,18,19,20,34,35,36,48,57
2. D6=?, k=6 and n=14
6(14+1)/10=6(15)/10=90/10 = 9
3. 5,12,12,14,16,18,18,19,20,34,35,36,48,57
Percentiles……
■ Values of the variable that divide a ranked
set into 100 subsets.

■ For example, P30 would be at 30%.

■ NOTE:
■ Q1 = P25
■ Q2 = P50 = Median
■ Q3 = P75
Percentile Example……
■ The 78th percentile means 78% are
smaller than the given value.

■ Does making the 80th percentile mean that

you made an 80% on test?
Answer……
■ No.

■ The 80th percentile would mean that a

person did better than 80% of the students
who took the same test.
 Computations of Percentiles of
Ungrouped Data.
1. Arrange the given data in ascending
order.
2. Compute for the position of the given
quartile using the formula k(n+1)/100,
where k is the given percentile and n is
the sample size.
3. Starting from the lowest observation,
locate the position in the data set. If the
computed position is not an integer use
interpolation.
 Example……
■ Compute for P80 based on the given data
below.
■ 5,12,18,14,18,19,34,35,16,57,48,36,12,20

1. 5,12,12,14,16,18,18,19,20,34,35,36,48,57
2. P80=?, k=80 and n=14
80(14+1)/10=80(15)/100=1200/100= 12
3. 5,12,12,14,16,18,18,19,20,34,35,36,48,57
P80=36
Example…..Use the following.
2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ Notice that the numbers are in ascending
order.

■ Find P25 (the number in the 25th percentile

position.
 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ Find P25……..
■ P25 =k(n+1)/100
■ P25 = 25(10+1)/100 = 2.75
■ Round up to the 3rd position.
■ 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ The answer is 5.
■ Average of the 2nd position and 3rd position
■ (3+5)/2 = 8/2 = 4
■ Interpolation
■ 3 + 0.75(5-3) = 3+1.5 = 4.5
 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ Find P60……..
■ P60 =k(n+1)/100
■ P60 = 60(10+1)/100 = 6.6
■ Round up to the 7th position.
■ 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ The answer is 12.
■ Average of the 6th position and 7th position
■ (10+12)/2 = 22/2 = 11
■ Interpolation
■ 10 + 0.6(10-8) = 10+1.2 = 11.2
Example 3…..
2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ Note: P75 is the same as Q3.
■ P75 = (75)(10+1)/100= 8.25
■ Round down to the 8th position.
■ 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ The answer is 15.
■ Average of the 8th position and 9th position
■ (15+18)/2 = 33/2 = 16.5
■ Interpolation
■ 15 + 0.25(18-15) = 15+0.75 = 15.75
Example 4…..
2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ Find Q3.
■ Q3 = (3)(10+1)/4= 8.25
■ Round down to the 8th position.
■ 2,3,5,6,8,10,12,15,18,20
■ The answer is 15.
■ Average of the 8th position and 9th position
■ (15+18)/2 = 33/2 = 16.5
■ Interpolation
■ 15 + 0.25(18-15) = 15+0.75 = 15.75
Now you try……
■ Use the following set of data to answer the
next 3 questions.

■ 3,4,4,6,8,10,10,12,12,12,13,15,15,15,16,
17,20,22,25,27
■ A. Find P75.

■ B. Find P30

■ C. Find P23
Answer A….
■ Find P75.
■ C = (75)(20+1)/100 = 15.75
■ The number will be the average of the 15th
and 16th position.
■ 3,4,4,6,8,10,10,12,12,12,13,15,15,15,16,
17,20,22,25,27
The answer is (16+17)/2 = 16.5
Answer B……
■ Find P30.
■ C = (30)(20+1)/100 = 6.3
■ Average the 6th and 7th numbers.
■ 3,4,4,6,8,10,10,12,12,12,13,15,15,15,16,
17,20,22,25,27
■ Answer: (10+10)/2 = 10
Answer C……
■ Find P23.
■ C = (23)(20+1)/100 = 4.83
■ Round up to the 5th position.
■ 3,4,4,6,8,10,10,12,12,12,13,15,15,15,16,
17,20,22,25,27
■ The answer is 8.
■ (6+(0.83*(8-6)))= 6+ 1.66 = 7.66
Midquartile……
■ The number halfway between Q1 and Q3.

Midquartile = (Q1+Q3)/2
Example……
■ If Q1 = 9 and Q3 = 16.5, find the
midquartile.

■ Answer: (9+16.5)/2 = 25.5/2 = 12.75

Measures of Position –
Quartiles, Deciles and
Percentiles of Grouped
Data.
 Formula for Calculating
Quartile of Grouped Data
■
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

QC 9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
 Example: Calculate Q3 based on
frequency distribution table.

3. Determine the required values in the formula.

LL= 8.5
n=40
cfb=28
fqc= 5
c=3
 Formula for Calculating
Decile of Grouped Data
■
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

DC 6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
 Example: Calculate D4 based on
frequency distribution table

3. Determine the required values in the formula.

LL= 5.5
n=40
cfb=10
fdc= 18
c=3
 Formula for Calculating
Percentile of Grouped Data
■
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
EXAMPLE
Class Class Boundaries Frequency (f) <cf
interval
0-2 0.5 - 2.5 8 8

3-5 2.5 - 5.5 2 10

6-8 5.5 – 8.5 18 28

9-11 8.5 – 11.5 5 33

PC 12-14 11.5 – 14.5 7 40

n=40
 Example: Calculate P90 based on
frequency distribution table

3. Determine the required values in the formula.

LL= 11.5
n=40
cfb=33
fpc= 7
c=3