Technical Support Document

Calculating Percentiles
You can use Minitab's Calculator (Calc > Calculator) to calculate percentiles of data. The example below
shows the specific calculations Minitab uses to determine the value of the percentile:
Suppose you want to calculate the 35th percentile of the following data set:

To calculate the percentile using the Calculator:

1. In C1, enter the following values in the worksheet: 1, 4, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21.

2. Choose Calc > Calculator.

3. In Store result in variable, enter c2.

4. In Expression, enter PERCENTILE(C1,.35). Click OK.

The value 10.55 appears in column C2 of the worksheet.

To calculate the percentile “by hand”:

Let N = number of rows with nonmissing data. In this case, N=10.

Let p = percentage of data less or equal to your desired percentile, divided by 100. For this example, p = 0.35.

Let w = p*(N+1). Here, w = 0.35*(10+1) = 3.85.

Let y = truncated value of w. Here, y = the truncated value of 3.85 = 3.

Let z = w – y. Here, z = 3.85 – 3 = 0.85.

Let X(y) = the yth row of data, when your data is sorted from least to greatest. For this example, X(y) = X(3) = the
third row of data = 8.

Let X(y+1) = the (y+1)th row of data, when your data is sorted from least to greatest. For this example, X(y+1) =
X(4) = the fourth row of data = 11.

Then, the 35th percentile = X(y) + z*(X(y+1) – X(y)). Here, the 35th percentile = 8 + 0.85*(11-8) = 10.55.

Knowledgebase ID 2201: http://www.minitab.com/support/answers/answer.aspx?ID=2201 Page 1