Excel - Percentile Function



Percentile Function

In Microsoft Excel, the percentile can be defined as a value of a variable of interest at or below which a defined percent of values of that variable occur. In more logical terms, it allows the user to calculate the k-th percentile. This powerful function determines outliers, analyzes employee performance, evaluates post-graduate and graduate student's academic performance, and assesses health and risk metrics.

For example, if a series rating falls below 95%, the series is ranked among the top 95% series list. In Excel, the percentile function can calculate the percentile data.

Compatibility

This advanced excel function is compatible with the following versions of MS-Excel −

  • Excel for Microsoft 365
  • Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac
  • Excel for the web
  • Excel 2021
  • Excel 2021 for Mac
  • Excel 2019
  • Excel 2019 for Mac
  • Excel 2016

The PERCENTILE function interchanges the PERCENTILE.INC function from Excel 2010.

Syntax

The syntax of Percentile function is as follows −

PERCENTILE.INC(array, k)

Arguments

You can use the following arguments with the Percentile function −

Argument Description Required / Optional
Array It specifies the array or data range for which the percentile is calculated. Required
K It denotes the percentile value in the range from 0 to 1, inclusive. Required

Points to Remember

  • The PERCENTILE() function, will calculate the value at a given percentile of a dataset.
  • The PERCENTILE() function will retrieve the error named #NUM! if the array is empty.
  • If the k value is non-numeric in a PERCENTILE() function, then the function will return the #VALUE! Error.
  • If the value of k is less than 0 or greater than 1, then the PERCENTILE() function will return the #NUM! Error.

Examples of Percentile Function

Practice the following examples to learn the use of the Percentile function in Excel.

Example 1

Step 1 − In this example, we will consider a score values column that contains array values from the D3:D8 data cell, and the k-value is present in the F5 cell.

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Step 2 − Now, you can enter the formula =Percentile(D3:D5,F5) to calculate the required stats from the provided data in the D10 cell.

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Step 3 − After that, press the Enter key. The resultant obtained value is 4.5.

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Step 4 − Therefore, the 70th percentile of the score dataset is approximately 4.5. This means that 70% of the scores in the dataset are equal to or below 4.5.

Example 2

The PERCENTILE() function, will return the error value, #NUM! if the array is empty.

Solution

Step 1 − In this example, we will consider an empty array with a k value of 0.6.

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Step 2 − In the next step, enter the PERCENTILE() function, =PERCENTILE(C3:C6, E3) in the C8 cell by passing the array size C3 to C6 and k value as an E3 cell reference.

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Step 3 − After that, press the Enter key and the result will display a #NUM! value, as provided below:

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Example 3

If the value of k is non-numeric in a PERCENTILE() function, then the function will return the #VALUE! Error.

Solution

Step 1 − First, assume the sample dataset where the array values are specified in the cell range C3:C6 and the k value as a non-numeric defined in the E3 cell.

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Step 2 − Applying the percentile() function =PERCENTILE(C3:C6,E3) in the C8 cell by passing the array and k-value cell references.

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Step 3 − After that, press the Enter key. This will display the #VALUE! error.

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Example 4

If the value of k is less than 0, or greater than 1, then the PERCENTILE() function will return the #NUM! Error.

Solution

For k greater than 1

Step 1 − For k greater than 1, you can assume that the value of k is 1.4, as specified in the E3 cell.

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Step 2 − After that, enter the formula =PERCENTILE(C3:C6,E3) in the C8 cell , bypassing the array values and the k-value.

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Step 3 − Finally, the resultant value will generate the #NUM! Error, as the k value is greater than 1.

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For k less than 0

In this case, we will assume that the k-value is -1.2 as shown in the E3 cell.

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Step 4 − After that, apply the percentile () function =PERCENTILE(C3:C6,E3) in the C8 cell. Since here the k-value is less than 0, that is negative. This function will generate a #NUM! error.

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