QUARTILES:

Quartiles are three values that split sorted data into four parts, each with an equal number of
observations

 First quartile: Also known as Q1, or the lower quartile. This is the number halfway
between the lowest number and the middle number.
 Second quartile: Also known as Q2, or the median. This is the middle number
halfway between the lowest number and the highest number.
 Third quartile: Also known as Q3, or the upper quartile. This is the number halfway
between the middle number and the highest number.

1. Quartiles are a set of descriptive statistics. They summarize the central tendency and
variability of a dataset or distribution.
2. In general, k% of the data falls below the kth percentile.

 The first quartile (Q1, or the lowest quartile) is the 25th percentile, meaning that
25% of the data falls below the first quartile.
 The second quartile (Q2, or the median) is the 50th percentile, meaning that 50% of
the data falls below the second quartile.
 The third quartile (Q3, or the upper quartile) is the 75th percentile, meaning that
75% of the data falls below the third quartile.

By splitting the data at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, the quartiles divide the data into
four equal parts.

 In a sample or dataset, the quartiles divide the data into four groups with equal
numbers of observations.
 In a probability distribution, the quartiles divide the distribution’s range into four
intervals with equal probability.
How to find quartiles?

To find the quartiles of a dataset or sample:

1. Count the number of observations in the dataset (n).

2. Sort the observations from smallest to largest.
3. Find the first quartile:
o Calculate n * (1 / 4).
o If n * (1 / 4) is an integer, then the first quartile is the mean of the numbers at
positions n * (1 / 4) and n * (1 / 4) + 1.
o If n * (1 / 4) is not an integer, then round it up. The number at this position is the first
quartile.

4. Find the second quartile:

o Calculate n * (2 / 4).
o If n * (2 / 4) is an integer, the second quartile is the mean of the numbers at positions
n * (2 / 4) and n * (2 / 4) + 1.
o If n * (2 / 4) is not an integer, then round it up. The number at this position is the
second quartile.
5. Find the third quartile:
o Calculate n * (3 / 4).
o If n * (3 / 4) is an integer, then the third quartile is the mean of the numbers at
positions n * (3 / 4) and n * (3 / 4) + 1.
o If n * (3 / 4) is not an integer, then round it up. The number at this position is the
third quartile.
There are multiple methods to calculate the first and third quartiles, and they don’t always
give the same answers. There’s no universal agreement on the best way to calculate quartiles.

Interpreting quartiles

Quartiles are helpful for understanding an observation in the context of the rest of a sample or
population. By comparing the observation to the quartiles, you can determine whether the
observation is in the bottom 25%, middle 50%, or top 25%.

Median

The second quartile, better known as the median ,is a measure of central tendency. This
middle number is a good measure of the average or most central value of the data, especially
for skewed distributions or distributions with outliers.

Interquartile range

The distance between the first and third quartiles—the interquartile range (IQR)—is a
measure of variability. It indicates the spread of the middle 50% of the data.

IQR = Q3 − Q1

The IQR is an especially good measure of variability for skewed distributions or distributions
with outliers. IQR only includes the middle 50% of the data, so, unlike the range, the IQR
isn’t affected by extreme values.

Skewness

The distance between quartiles can give you a hint about whether a distribution is skewed or
symmetrical. It’s easiest to use a boxplot to look at the distances

Note that a histogram or skewness measure will give you a more reliable indication of
skewness.
Identifying outliers:

The interquartile range (IQR) can be used to identify outliers. Outliers are observations that
are extremely high or low.

One definition of an outlier is any observation that is more than 1.5 IQR away from the first
or third quartile