Data Descriptions

Measures of Position

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. Determine Quartiles, Deciles and Percentiles
of grouped and ungrouped data.
2. Interpret the values computed under the
measures of position.
Measures of Position
 used to describe the location of a specific piece
of data in relation to the rest of the sample.
1. Quartiles
 number values of the variable that divide the
ranked data into four quarters.
𝑄1 = is a number such that at most, ¼ of the data is
smaller than 𝑄1 and at most ¾ of the data is
more than 𝑄1.
𝑄2 = the median
𝑄3 = is a number such that at most ¾ of the data is
less than 𝑄3 and at most ¼ of the data is
greater than 𝑄3.
2. Deciles
 number values of the variable that divide a set
of ranked data into 10 equal parts.
3. Percentiles
 number values of the variable that divide a set
of ranked data into 100 equal parts.
Measures of Position (Ungrouped)
Example 1
Given the following data,
26, 51, 44, 23, 25, 61, 45, 65, 23, 43, 41, 55, 34, 35

Find (a)𝐷4, (b) 𝑃60, (c) 𝐷7, (d)𝑃25, (e)𝑄2

Solution:
Arranged data chronologically:
23, 23, 25, 26, 34, 35, 41, 43, 44, 45, 51, 55, 61, 65
a) 𝐷4
4(15)
Location of 𝐷4 = 4(14+1) = =6
10 10

𝐷4 is equal to the 6th score in the ranked data.

𝐷4 = 35

b) 𝑃60
60(15)
Location of 𝑃60 = 60(14+1)
= =9
100 100

𝑃60 is equal to the 9th score in the ranked data.

𝑃60 = 44

c) 𝐷7
7(15)
Location of 𝐷7 = 7(14+1)
= = 10.5
10 10

Interpolate:
(11th score – 10th score)
51 - 45 = 6(0.50) = 3
𝐷7 = 45 + 3 = 48
(d)𝑃25
25(15)
Location of 𝑃25 = 25(14+1)
= = 3.75
100 100

Interpolate:
(4th score – 3rd score)
26 - 25 = 1(0.75) = 0.75
𝑃25 = 25 + 0.75 = 25.75

(e)𝑄2
2(15)
Location of 𝑄2 = 2(14+1)
= = 7.5
4 4

Interpolate:
(8th score – 7th score) 43 - 41 = 2(0.50) = 1
𝑄2 = 41 + 1 = 42
Measures of Position (Grouped)
Where 𝐿 = the lower class boundary of the
Qi , Di or Pi class
𝑐ƒ = the cumulative frequency before the
Qi , Di or Pi class
ƒ = frequency of the Qi , Di or Pi class
𝑛 = sample size
𝑐 = class width
Example 2.
Find a) 𝑄2 b) 𝐷7 c) 𝑃45

Class ƒ 𝐹≤
Interval
62 – 68 8 8
69 – 75 5 13
76 – 82 9 22
83 – 89 11 33
90 – 96 12 45
97 – 103 10 55
104 – 110 5 60
111 – 117 5 65
n =65

Solution
a) 𝑄2
2(65)
10
= 32.5 , 32.5th position belongs to class 83-89
32.5 − 22
𝑄2 = 82.5 + [ ] (7)
11
= 82.5 + 0.9545(7)
= 82.5 + 6.6818
𝑄2 = 89.1818( 𝑚𝑒𝑑i𝑎𝑛)
b) D7
7(65)
= 45.5th belongs to class 97-103
10

45.5 − 45
D7 = 96.5 + [ ] (7)
10
= 96.5 + 0.05(7)
= 96.5 + 0.35
𝐷7 = 96.85

c) 𝑃45
45(65)
100
= 29.5th belongs to class 83-89

29.25 − 22
𝑃45 = 82.5 + [ ] (7)
11
= 82.5 + 0.6591(7)
= 82.5 + 4.6136
𝑃45 = 87.1136
Exercises
1. Consider the sample
14, 9, 18, 13, 16, 12, 15 ,16.
Find a) 𝑄3, b) 𝐷8 c) 𝑃25.
2. Consider the sample
12, 11, 15, 12, 10, 14, 8, 10, and 18.
Find a) 𝑄3, b) 𝐷8 c) 𝑃85.

3. Find a) 𝐷4, b) 𝑃30, c) 𝑃80 d) 𝑄1, e) 𝑄3.

Class Interval ƒ
5–8 7
9 – 12 15
13 – 16 22
17 – 20 14
21 – 24 2

4. Find a) 𝐷2, b) 𝑃65, c) 𝑃40 d) 𝑄3, e) 𝑄1.

Class Interval ƒ
180 – 187 7
188 – 195 10
196 – 203 15
204 – 211 7
212 – 219 5
220 - 227 3