MEASURES OF RELATIVE POSITION

Introduction:
This lesson contains or talk about the position of a value, relative to other values
in a set of data for both data which is either grouped data or ungrouped data. The most
common measures of position are percentiles, quartiles, and decile.

Learning Outcome:
At the end of this lesson the learners should be able to determine the position of
the single value relation to other values, of a grouped and ungrouped data set using
measures of positions.

Learning Content:

Measures of Positions

A measure of position is a method by which the position that a particular data

value has within a given data set can be identified. As with other types of measures,
there is more than one approach to defining such a measure.

We commonly refer to this measure of position as quantiles or fractiles.

Quantiles – it is a score distribution where the scores are divided into different equal
parts. There are three kinds of quantiles: Quartile, Decile, and Percentile.

KINDS OF QUANTILES

Quartile – a measure of position that divides the ordered observations/score

distribution into 4 equal parts

Each of these portions contains 25% of the observations of

a data set arranged in increasing order
Decile – a measure of position that divides the ordered observations/score distribution
into 10 equal parts.

Each of these portions contains 10% of the observations of a data

set arranged in increasing order.

Percentile – a measure of position that divides the ordered observation/score

distribution into 100 equal parts

Each of these portions contains 1% of the observations of a data

set arranged in increasing order.

P99

Quantiles formula for ungrouped data

Quartile Decile Percentile

th score th score th score

k(n − 1) + 4  k(n − 1) + 10  k(n − 1) + 100 
Qk :   Dk :   Pk :  
 4  10  100

Qk = the indicated Quartile Dk = the indicated Quartile Pk = the indicated Quartile

k = quartile location k = quartile location k = quartile location
n = number of data n = number of data n = number of data
values/observation values/observation values/observation
Example 1:
A classroom teacher gave a quiz to 9 students. The scores obtained are as follows: 10,
5, 9, 4, 2, 6, 3, 4, and 8. find the 3rd Quartile, 8th Decile, and 95th Percentile.

Solution:
Step 1: arranged the data in order, then label each datum as X1 , X 2 , X 3 ,... X n

Step 2: Solve what is being asked using the formula for Quantiles.
3rd Quartile 8th Decile 95th Percentile
th score th score th score
k(n − 1) + 4  k(n − 1) + 10  k(n − 1) + 100 
Qk :   Dk :   Pk :  
 4  10  100
th score th score th score
 3(8) + 4   8(8) + 10   95(8) + 100 
Q3 =  D8 =  P95 : 
 4   10   100 
th score th score th score
 28   74   860 
Q3 =   D8 =   P95 : 
4 10  100 
Q3 = 7th score D8 = 7.4th score P95 : 8.6th score

Therefore, the 7th score or
the 3rd quartile from the
arrange data is 8.
7.4th score is between 7th
and 8th score, to get the
7.4th score, add 7th score to
0.40 and multiply by the
difference of 8th and 7th
score.
8.6th score is between 8th
score and 9th score, to
get the 8.6 score, add 8th
score to 0.60 and
multiply by the
difference of 9th and 8th
score.

3rd Quartile = 8 8th Decile = 8.4 95th Percentile = 9.6

 Quantiles formula for grouped data
Qk = the indicated Quartile
LCBQk = lower class boundary
of the quartile class
 kn 
Quartile

 4 − cfQk −1  k = quartile location

Qk = LCBQk +C  
fQk n = sample size
 
  cfQk −1 = less than cumulative frequency
before the quartile class
fQk = frequency of the quartile class
Dk = the indicated Decile
LCBDk = lower class boundary
of the decile class
 kn 
 10 − cf Dk −1  k = decile location
Decile

Dk = LCBDk +C  
 f Dk  n = sample size
  cf Dk −1 = less than cumulative frequency
before the decile class
f Dk = frequency of the decile class
Pk = the indicated Percentile
LCBPk = lower class boundary
of the percentile class
 kn 
Percentile

 100 − cf Pk −1  k = percentile location

Pk = LCBPk + C  
 f Pk  n = sample size
  cf Pk −1 = less than cumulative frequency
before the percentile class
f Pk = frequency of the percentile class

Example 2:

The data shown in frequency are distribution scores of 40 students in a

mathematics class consists of 60 items.
Find for the:
1st quartile, 5th decile, and 85th percentile
CL LCB f <cf
10-14 9.5 5 5
15-19 14.5 2 7
20-24 19.5 3 10
25-29 24.5 5 15
30-34 29.5 2 17
35-39 34.5 9 26
40-44 39.5 6 32
45-49 44.5 3 35
50-54 49.5 5 40
n=40
 kn kn kn
Step1: solve for , , defends if it is quartile, decile or percentile.
4 10 100
Step2: to locate the quartile, decile, or percentile class, starting from the
lowest class limit, locate the first value in <cf that is greater than or equal
to the answer that you got on step1.
Step3: calculate using the formula

1st Quartile 5th Decile 85th Percentile

kn 1(40) kn 5(40) kn 85(40)
Step1: = = 10 Step1: = = 20 Step1: = = 34
4 4 10 10 100 100
Step2: starting from the Step2: starting from the Step2: starting from the
lowest class limit, the first lowest class limit, the first lowest class limit, the first
value in <cf that is greater value in <cf that is greater value in <cf that is greater
than or equal to 10 is in than or equal to 20 is in than or equal to 34 is in
the third class, so that the the 6th class, so that the the 8th class, so that the
third class is the quartile 6th class is the decile 8th class is the percentile
class. class. class.

Step3: Step3: Step3:

 kn   kn   kn 
 4 − cfQk −1   10 − cf Dk −1   100 − cf Pk −1 
Qk = LCBQk + C   Dk = LCBDk + C   Pk = LCBPk + C  
 fQk   f Dk   f Pk 
     
 10 − 7   20 − 17   34 − 32 
Q1 = 19.5 + 5   D5 = 34.5 + 5   P85 = 44.5 + 5  
 3   9   3 
3 3  2
Q1 = 19.5 + 5   D5 = 34.5 + 5   P85 = 44.5 + 5  
3 9 3
Q1 = 19.5 + 5 D5 = 34.5 + 1.67 P85 = 44.5 + 3.33
Q1 = 24.5 D5 = 36.17 P85 = 47.83
Name: _______________________________________________ Score: ___________
Course/Year/Section/Major: _________________________Date: ____________

A. MEASURE OF RELATIVE POSITION

I. Solve for what is being asked, write your answer on the space provided.

1. The numbers of hours spending of 12 gamers in computer shop have been

collected. The data obtained are as follows: 4, 17, 7, 14, 18, 12, 3, 16, 10, 4, 4,
and 11.
3rd Quartile

7th Decile

80th Percentile

RUBRICS:
Score 0 1 3 5
- No answer - Answer only - Answer with - Organize work,
solution with complete
Indicators
solution,
formula.
 2. Below is the distribution of scores of 32 students in fifty-item midterm
examination in Statistics. Find the 1st quartile, 3rd quartile, 8th decile, 4th
decile, 65th percentile and 79th percentile scores.

Scores f
1-7 1
8-14 4
15-21 6
22-28 14
29-35 2
36-42 5
total

RUBRICS:
Score 0 1 3 5
- No answer - Answer only - Answer with - Organize work,
solution with complete
Indicators
solution,
formula.

References:

o Sirug W. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Rm.108, Intramuros

Corporate Plaza Bldg., Manila, Philippines 1002. Mindshapers Co., Inc.
o Aufmann R. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Sampaloc, Manila,
Philippines. Rex Bookstore, Inc.
o Aufmann, Richard N., Lockwood, Joanne, Nation, Richard D., and Clegg, Daniel
K. (2012). Mathematical Excursions, Third Edition. Brook/Cole, Cengage
Learning: USA
o http://www.milefoot.com/math/stat/desc-positions.htm