Range, Interquartile Range and Semi- Interquartile Range

Range

The range of a set of data is the difference between the largest and the smallest observations.

For example, the basic wages of workers in a factory are $175, $160, $195, $149, $185, $167, $148.

Calculate the range of the basic wages.

The range of the basic wages = $ 195 - $148

= $47

The interquartile range and semi-interquartile range

A quartile is one of the three values that divide a set of data into four equal parts. The median, Q 2 is
the middle value of the whole set of data. The lower quartile, Q 1 is the middle value of the bottom
half of the data. The upper quartile, Q3 is the middle value of the top half of the data. The
interquartile range is the difference between the upper and lower quartiles. That is, the interquartile
range, IQR = Q3 – Q1. The semi-interquartile range is half of the interquartile range.

That is, ½ (Q3 – Q1).

Examples:

Calculate the interquartile range and semi-interquartile range for the following heights stated in
centimetres.

(a) 163, 158, 154, 161, 156, 159, 155

154, 155, 156, 158, 159, 161, 163

Q1 Q2 Q3

Interquartile range, IQR = Q3 – Q1

= 161 – 165

= 6

Semi- interquartile range, SIQR = ½ (Q3 – Q1)

= ½ (6)

= 3
 (b) 158, 163, 154, 161, 157, 156, 159, 155

154, 155,156, 157, 158, 159, 161, 163

155.5 157.5 160

Q1 Q2 Q3

Interquartile range, IQR = Q3 – Q1

= 160 – 155.5

= 4.5 cm

Semi- interquartile range, SIQR = ½ (Q3 – Q1)

= ½ (4.5)
= 2.25

Activity:

Calculate the range, the interquartile range and semi-interquartile range from the raw data
of numbers.
(a) 7, 3, 2, 4, 5, 4, 6
(b) 9, 6, 4, 3, 5, 7, 5, 8