3

OBJECTIVES:

After the completion of the chapter, students should be able to:

1. identify the position of a data value in a given problem.

DISCUSSION:

Measure of position identifies the rank or position occupied by a data from an array of data
collected.

1. Percentiles are values that divide a set of observations into 100 equal parts. These values denoted by
P1, P2, P3, …, P99, mean that 1% of the data fall below P1, 2% fall below P2, …99% fall below P99. The
position occupied by each of the score from an array of data collected is based on the hundredth
when the scores are arranged from the highest to lowest or vice versa.

p
To determine or identify the data of the desired percentile, the formula ( )n gives the number
100
p
of observation below the percentile, then counting from 1 to ( )n from the data arranged in ascending
100
order gives the percentile.

2. Deciles are values that divide a set of observations into 10 equal parts. These values denoted by D1,
D2, D3…., D9, indicate that 10% of the data fall below D1., 20% fall below D2.., 90% below D9. The
position occupied by each of the score from an array of data collected is based on the tenth when the
scores are arranged from highest to lowest or vice versa.

D
To determine or identify the data of the desired decile, the formula ( )n gives the number of
10
D
observations below the decile, then counting from, 1 to ( )n from the data arranged in ascending order
10
gives the decile.

3. Quartiles are values that divide a set of observations into 4 equal parts.

st
 The 1st Quartile, Q1 , also called the lower quartile is equivalent to P25. To determine the 1 quartile,
n
the formula Q1  gives the number of observations below the quartile; then, counting from 1 to
4
n
from the data arranged in ascending order gives the quartile.
4
 The 2nd Quartile, Q2, is the middlemost score or the median and is equivalent to the 50th percentile.
2� �
To determine the 2nd quartile, the formula �2= 4 = 2 gives the number of observations below the quartile;
�
the, counting from 1 to 2 from the data arranged in ascending order gives the quartile.

ROMMEL H. SARREAL, RME

INSTRUCTOR I
STAT 2
 The 3rd Quartile, Q3, also called the upper quartile is equivalent to the 75th percentile. To determine
3�
the 3rd quartile, the formula �3 = 4 gives the number of observations below the quartile; then, counting
3�
from 1 to 4
from the data arranged in ascending order gives the quartile.

Example: The scores of ten students in a 20 point math quiz are as follows: 6, 12, 18, 8. 9. 10, 9, 15, 17, 15. Find the
values of Q1, Q2, D1, D5, P10, P25, P50. Interpret the values.

Scores Position
6 1
8 2
9 3
9 4
10 5
12 6
15 7
15 8
17 9
18 10
N=10

n 10
Q1 = 4 = 4
= 2.5 ≈ 3. This implies that the value is located on the 3rd position and that is 9. Thus, Q1 =
9. This means that 25% of the students got scores equal or below 9; or 75 % of the students got scores
equal or above 9.
2n 2(10)
Q2 = 4
= 4
= 5This implies that the value is located on the 5th position and that is 10. Q2=10. This
means that 50% of the students got scores equal or below 10 or above 10.
�� 1(10)
�1 = 10
= 10
= 1 This implies that the value is located on the 5th position and that is 6. Thus, D1=6.
This means 10% of the students got scores equal or below 6; or 90% of the students got scores equal or
above 6.
�� 5(10)
�5 = 10
= 10
= 5 This implies that the value is located at 5th position and that is 10. This means that
50% of the students got scores equal or below 10 or above 10.
�� 10(10)
�10 = 100 = 100
= 1This implies that the value is located on the 1st position and that is 6. Thus, P10=6.
This means that 10% of the students got scores equal or below 6; 0r 90% of the students got scores equal
or above 6.
� 25(10)
�
�25 = 100 = 100
− 2.5 ≈ 3 This implies that the value is located on the 3rd position and that is 9. Thus,
P25=9. This means that 25% of the students got scores equal or below 9; or 75% of the students got scores
equal or above 9.
�� 50(10)
�50 = 100 = 100
= 5 This implies that the value is located on the 5th position and that is 10. Thus, P50 =
10. This means that 50% of the students got scores equal or below 9 or above 9.

ROMMEL H. SARREAL, RME

INSTRUCTOR I
STAT 2
Notice that Q1=P25; D1=P10;Q2=D5=P50;…

For Grouped Data: The formulas for quartiles, deciles and percentiles are derived from the formula of the
median, i.e

Q(N/4) − Fb
Q = LQC + C
FQC

where
LQC - Lower CB of the quartile class
C - Class size
Fb - <CF before the quartile class
N - Total number of observations
FQC - frequency of the quartile class

D(N/10) − Fb
D = LDC + C
FDC
where
LDC - Lower CB of the quartile class
C-Class size
Fb - <CF before the quartile class
N - Total number of observations
FDC - frequency of the quartile class
P(N/100) − Fb
P = LPC + C
FPC
where
LPC - Lower CB of the quartile class
C-Class size
Fb - <CF before the quartile class
N - Total number of observations
FPC - frequency of the quartile class

Example: The table below represents the scores of 64 students in along quiz.
Class Interval Frequency Class Boundary <CF
5-9 7 4.5-9.5 7
10-14 10 9.5-14.5 17
15-19 13 14.5-19.5 30
20-24 18 19.5-24.5 48
25-29 8 24.5-29.5 56
30-34 5 29.5-34.5 61
35-39 4 34.5-395 64
Total 64

Solve for Q1, D5, and P75. Interpret the values

Q(N/4) − Fb
Q = LQC + C
FQC
1(64/4) − 7
Q1 = 9.5 + 5 = 9.94 ≈ 10
17

ROMMEL H. SARREAL, RME

INSTRUCTOR I
STAT 2
 This means that 25% of the students got scores equal or below 10; or 75% of the students got
scores equal or above 10.

D(N/10) − Fb
D = LDC + C
FDC
5(64/10) − 30
D5 = 19.5 + 5 = 20.06 ≈ 20
18
This means that 50% of the students got scores equal or below 20 or above 20.

P(N/100) − Fb
P = LPC + C
FPC
75(64/100) − 30
P75 = 19.5 + 5 = 24.5 ≈ 25
18

This means that 75% of the students got scores equal or below 25; or 25% of the students got scores
equal or above 25.

ROMMEL H. SARREAL, RME

INSTRUCTOR I
STAT 2