Measures of Position

Z Score
Also called the standard score

Z Score
Also called the standard score
Represents the number of standard
deviations a score is from the mean

Z Score
Also called the standard score
Represents the number of standard
deviations a score is from the mean
Always round value to 2 decimal places.

Formulas
Sample

x-x
z=
s

Population

z=

x-

Example
Human body temperatures have a mean of
98.20 degrees and a standard deviation
of 0.62 degrees.
Find the z score for temperatures of:
a. 100 degrees
b. 97 degrees

Solution
Z = (100 98.20)/0.62
Z = 2.90

Solution
Z = (100 98.20)/0.62
Z = 2.90
Z = (97 98.20)/0.62
Z = -1.94

Significance of Z
Z scores above 2 or below -2 are
considered to be UNUSUAL.
Z scores above 3 or below -3 are
considered to be VERY UNUSUAL.

Conclusion about temperatures

The temperature of 100 degrees is
UNUSUAL.
The temperature of 97 degrees is ordinary.

Another use of z scores

Z scores can also be used to compare

relative position for different data sets.

Example: page 100 #10

Example: page 100 #10

a. Z = (144 128)/34 = 0.47
b. Z = (90 86)/18 = 0.22
c. Z = (18 15)/5 = 0.60
The third score is the largest, so that is the
test result with the highest relative score.

Percentiles
A percentile tells the percent of scores that
are lower than a given score.

Percentiles
A percentile tells the percent of scores that
are lower than a given score.
Write: P90 (or whatever number we
need)

Percentiles
A percentile tells the percent of scores that
are lower than a given score.
Write: P90 (or whatever number we
need)
We will not be calculating percentiles as
the data sets should be quite large in order
for the percentile to be meaningful.

Example
A pediatrician reports that a child is in the
90th percentile for heights among children
of that age. This is P90.
That means 90% of all children of that age
are shorter than the given child. The child
is taller than average.

Quartiles
Quartiles divide the data set into 4 groups,
each of which has the same number of
members.
Q1 corresponds to P25
Q2 corresponds to P50 or the median
Q3 corresponds to P75

Quartiles
Q1, Q2, Q3
divides ranked scores into four equal parts
25%
(minimum)

25%

25% 25%

Q1 Q2 Q3
(median)

(maximum)

Finding quartiles
1. Sort the data.

Finding quartiles
1. Sort the data.
2. Locate the median.

Finding quartiles
1. Sort the data.
2. Locate the median.
3. Q1 is the median of the group of scores
starting at the minimum value and going
up to but not including the true median.

Finding quartiles
1. Sort the data.
2. Locate the median.
3. Q1 is the median of the group of scores
starting at the minimum value and going
up to but not including the true median.
4. Q3 is the median of the group of scores
starting just past the true median and
going up to the maximum value.

Example
Use Harry Potter data
found on page 69 # 2

70.9
74.0
78.6
79.2
79.5
80.2
82.5
83.7
84.3
84.6
85.3
86.2

Median
The median is the
average of the 6th and
7th scores.

70.9
74.0
78.6
79.2
79.5

(80.2+ 82.5)/2
81.35

80.2
82.5
83.7
84.3
84.6
85.3
86.2

Q1
Find the median of
the first 6 scores

70.9

(78.6 + 79.2)/2
78.9

78.6

74.0

79.2
79.5
80.2

Q3
Find the median of
the last 6 scores

82.5

(84.3+84.6)/2
84.45

84.3

83.7

84.6
85.3
86.2

Another Example
Weights of regular coke

0.8150
0.8163
0.8181
0.8192
0.8211
0.8247

Another Example
Weights of regular coke
Median
(0.8181+0.8192)/2
0.81865

0.8150
0.8163
0.8181
0.8192
0.8211
0.8247

Another Example
Weights of regular coke
Median
(0.8181+0.8192)/2
0.81865
Q1
0.8163

0.8150
0.8163
0.8181

Another Example
Weights of regular coke
Median
(0.8181+0.8192)/2
0.81865
Q1
0.8163
Q3
0.8211

0.8192
0.8211
0.8247

Using the TI
We can check results with the TI
calculator.
Put the data into a list.
Press STAT, CALC, One-Var stats
Enter the name of the list
Scroll down to see the values

Harry Potter results

Here is the screen output: