Mathematics 10

Fourth Quarter – Week 2a

Lesson: Measures of Position for Ungrouped Data

MELC: Calculates a specified measure of position (e.g. 90th percentile) of a set of data
(M10SP-IVb-1, Week 2)

Key Concepts

1. Quartiles for ungrouped data

The quartiles are the score points which divide a distribution into four equal
parts. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the distribution are below the first quartile,
fifty percent (50%) are below the second quartile, and seventy five percent (75%)
are below the third quartile. Q1 is called the lower quartile and Q3 is the upper
quartile. Q1 < Q2 < Q3, where Q2 is nothing but the median. The difference
between Q3 and Q1 is the interquartile range.

Q1 Q2 Q3

Q1 = 25% of distribution Q1 = Lower Quartile

Q2 = 50% of distribution Q2 = Median
Q3 = 75% of distribution Q3 = Upper Quartile

MENDENHALL AND SINCICH METHOD: A METHOD OF FINDING THE

QUARTILE VALUE
This method was developed by William Mendenhall and Terry Sincich
to find the position of the quartile in the given data.
 Formulas:
1
Lower Quartile (L) = Position of Q1 = 4
(n+1)
2 1
Median = Position of Q2 = 4
(n+1) = 2
(n+1)
3
Upper Quartile (U) = Position of Q3 = 4
(n+1)

n is the number of elements in the data

Note:
1. If the computed value of Lower Quartile (L) falls halfway between two
integers, round up.
Example: Position of Q1 = 3.5 ≈ 4
2. If the computed value of Upper Quartile (U) falls halfway between two
integers, round down.
Example: Position of Q3 = 8.5 ≈ 8

1
 Steps to solve the quartile of the given data.
1. Arrange the data in ascending order or from the lowest value to the
highest value.
2. Find n or the total number of elements presented in the data.
3. Find the least value of the data and the greatest value of the data.
4. Find the lower quartile of the given data using the Mendenhall &
Sincich Method.
5. Find the middle value of the data or the Median.
6. Find the upper quartile of the given data.
Example 1 The owner of the coffee shop recorded the number of customers
who came into his café each hour in a day. The results were 14,
10, 12, 9, 17, 5, 8, 9, 14, 10, and 11. Find Q1, Q2, and Q3.

Solution:
Step 1: Arrange the data in ascending order.
{5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17}
Step 2: Find n or the total number of elements.
n = 11
Step 3: Find the least value and the greatest value of the data set.
least value = 5, greatest value = 17
Step 4: Find the lower quartile (L)
1
Position of Q1 = ( n +1)
4
1
Q1 = 4
( 11 +1)
1
Q1 = 4
( 12)
12
Q1 =
4
Q1 = 3
Therefore, Q1 or the lower quartile is the 3rd element in the data
which is 9.
{ 5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17}
Step 5: Find the middle value of the data or the median.
1
Position of Q2 = 2( n +1)
1
Q2 = 2( 11 +1)
1
Q2 = 2( 12)
12
Q2 =
2
Q2 = 6
Therefore, Q2 or the median is the 6th element in the data which is
10.
{ 5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17}

2
 Step 6: Find the upper quartile.
3
Position of Q3 = 4( n +1)
3
Q3 = 4( 11 +1)
3
Q3 = 4( 12)
36
Q3 = 4
Q3 = 9
Therefore, Q3 or the upper quartile is the 9th element in the data
which is 14.
{ 5, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17}
Example 2 Find the lower quartile (Q1) , median (Q2) and
upper quartile (Q3) values of the following scores:
7, 3, 8, 9 , 1, 6, 7 , 4 , 5

Solution:
Step 1: Arrange the data in ascending order.
{ 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9}
Step 2: Find n or the total number of elements.
n=9
Step 3: Find the least value and the greatest value of the data set.
least value = 1, greatest value = 9
Step 4: Find the lower quartile (L)
1 According to the
Position of Q1 = 4( n +1)
1 Mendenhall and Sincich
Q1 = ( 9 +1) method, round up the
4
1
Q1 = 4
( 10) computed value of the
10
Lower quartile (L) if it falls
Q1 = 4 halfway between two
Q1 = 2.5 ≈ 3 integers.
Therefore, Q1 or the lower quartile is the 3rd element in the data
which is 4.
{1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9}
Step 5: Find the middle value of the data or the median.
1
Position of Q2 = ( n +1)
2
1
Q2 = 2
( 9 +1)
1
Q2 = ( 10)
2
10
Q2 = 2
Q2 = 5
Therefore, Q2 or the median is the 5th element in the data which is 6.
{ 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9}

3
 Step 6: Find the upper quartile. According to the
3 Mendenhall and Sincich
Position of Q3 = 4( n +1)
3 method, round down the
Q3 = 4( 9 +1) computed value of Upper
3
Q3 = 4( 10) quartile (U) if it falls halfway
Q3 = 7.5 ≈ 7 between two integers.

Therefore Q3 or the upper quartile is the 9th element in the data

which is 7.
{ 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9}

LINEAR INTERPOLATION

• It is a method of finding the quartile value.

• It is also a method of constructing new data points within the range of
a discrete set of known data points.
• It is often required to interpolate, i.e., estimate the value of that
function for an intermediate value of the independent variable.
• We need to use interpolation if the value of the position is in decimal
form.

Steps in Using Linear Interpolation Method

1. Arrange the scores in ascending order.
2. Locate the position of the score in the distribution.
3. If the result is a decimal number, proceed to linear interpolation.
4. Find the difference between the two values where the quartile is situated.
5. Multiply the result in step 4 by the decimal part obtained in step 2.
6. Add the result in step 5 to the second smaller number in step 4.

Example 1
Find the first quartile (Q1) given the scores of 9 students in
their mathematics activity using linear interpolation.
{1, 27, 16, 7, 31, 7, 30, 3, 21}

Step 1: Arrange the scores in ascending order.

{ 1, 3, 7, 7, 16, 21, 27, 30, 31 }
Step 2: Locate the position of the score in the distribution.
1
Position of Q1=4 (n+1)
1
Q1=4 (9+1)
1
Q 1= 4
(10)
10
Q 1= 4

Q1= 2.5
Step 3: Since the result is a decimal number, proceed to linear interpolation.

4
 Step 4: Find the difference between the two values wherein Q1 is situated.
{1, 3, 7, 7, 16, 21, 27, 30, 31}

2.5 position

Q1 is between the values 3 and 7, therefore

= 7-3
=4
Step 5: Multiply the result in step 4 by the decimal part obtained in step 2.
= 4 (0.5)
=2
Step 6: Add the result in step 5 to the second smaller number in step 4.
= 2+3
=5
Therefore, the value of Q1 is equal to 5.

Example 2
Find the upper quartile (Q3) values of the following scores
using linear interpolation.
7 , 3 , 11 , 12 , 1 , 6 , 9 , 4 , 5

Step 1: Arrange the scores in ascending order.

{ 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12}
Step 2: Locate the position of the score in the distribution.
3
Position of Q1=4 (n+1)
3
Q1=4 (9+1)
3
Q 1= 4
(10)
30
Q 1=
4

Q1= 7.5
Step 3: Since the result is a decimal number, proceed to linear interpolation.
Step 4: Find the difference between the two values wherein Q3 is situated.
{ 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12}
7.5 position
Q3 is between the values 9 and 11, therefore
= 11-9
=2
Step 5: Multiply the result in step 4 by the decimal part obtained in step 2.
= 2 (0.5)
=1
Step 6: Add the result in step 5 to the second smaller number in step 4.
= 9+1
= 10
Therefore, the value of Q3 is equal to 10.

5
2. Deciles for ungrouped data
The deciles are the nine score points which divide a distribution
into ten equal parts.

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9

Calculating the deciles:

𝑘
Position of Dk = (n+1)
10

k is the rank of the1)decile required

n is the number of elements in the data

Example
Find the 7th decile (D7), given the scores of 11 students in
their mathematics activity.
{ 1, 27, 16, 7, 31, 7, 30, 31, 3, 4, 21 }

Step 1 : Arrange the scores in ascending order

{ 1, 3, 4, 7, 7, 16, 21, 27, 30, 31, 31 }
Step 2: Locate the position of the score in the distribution.
𝑘
Position of Dk = 10 (n+1)
7
D7 = (11+1)
10
7
D7 = (12)
10
84
D7 = 10

D7 = 8.4
D7 = 8 (rounded off)
D7 is the 8th element, therefore D7 = 27.

3. Percentiles for ungrouped data

The percentiles are the ninety-nine score points which divide a
distribution into one hundred equal parts so that each part
represents the data set.

6
 Q1 Q2 Q3

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9
P10 P20 P30 P40 P50 P60 P70 P80 P90

Calculating the percentiles:

𝑘
Position of Pk = (n+1)
100

k is the rank of the1)percentile required

n is the number of elements in the data

Example
Find the 58th percentile (P58), given the scores of 10
students in their mathematics activity using linear
interpolation.
{ 1, 27, 16, 7, 31, 7, 30, 3, 4, 21 }

Step 1 : Arrange the scores in ascending order

{ 1, 3, 4, 7, 7, 16, 21, 27, 30, 31 }
Step 2: Locate the position of the score in the distribution.
𝑘
Position of Pk = 100 (n+1)
58
P58 = (10+1)
100
58
P58 = (11)
100
638
P58 = 100

P58= 6.38
P58= 6 (rounded off)
P58 is the 6th element, therefore P58 = 16.
Note: Linear Interpolation can also be used in finding the decile
and percentile value. Just follow the same process in finding the
quartile value using it.

7
Activity 1: Cross Quantile Puzzle
Directions: Complete Cross Quantile Puzzle by calculating the specified
measures of position. Use linear interpolation. (In filling the boxes, disregard
the decimal point. For example, 14.3 should be written as 1 4 3
Write your complete solution for each item.

Given: Scores 5, 7, 12, 14,15, 22, 25, 30, 36, 42, 53, 65

1. 2. 3. Across
2. D7
4. 65 (𝑛+1)
4.
100
90 (𝑛+1)
8.
100

5. 6. 9. P9
Down
7. 8. 1. Q2
90 (𝑛+1)
3.
9. 100
5. P40
6. P52
7. P54