QUANTILES OR FRACTILES : GROUPED DATA

In a frequency distribution, the quantiles or fractiles is a value at or below which a given fraction
of the distribution must lie. Like the median, the quantiles or fractiles are also positional measures.

Quartiles – are values that divide a distribution into 4 equal parts.

To compute for the quartiles, we use the following formulas:

Q1 = LQ1 + n/4 - F ≤ Q1 x C
f Q1

Q2 = LQ2 + 2n/4 - F ≤ Q2 x C
f Q2

Q3 = LQ3 + 3n/4 - F ≤ Q3 x C
f Q3
where:
Q1, Q2, Q3 = are the quartiles
fQ1, f2, fQ3 = are their respective frequencies
LQ1, LQ2, LQ3 = are their respective class boundaries
F ≤ Q1, F ≤ Q2, F ≤ Q3 = are the respective cumulative less than frequency immediately preceding the given
quartile class
n = total frequency
C = class size

Example: Referring to the distribution below, find the Q 1, Q2 and Q3.

Weekly Wage ( in peso ) Number of Workers ( f ) Cumulative “less than”

frequency ( F≤ )
870 – 899 4 4
900 – 929 6 10
Q1 930 – 959 10 20
Q2 960 – 989 13 33
Q3 990 – 1019 8 41
1020 – 1049 7 48
1050 - 1079 2 50
n = 50

First find:
Q1 class = n/4 = 50/4 = 12.5
Q2 class = 2n/4 = n/2 = 50/2 = 25
Q3 class = 3n/4 = 3 ( 50 )/4 = 37.5

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Solutions:
Q1 = LQ1 + n/4 - F ≤ Q1 x C
f Q1
= 929.5 + 50/4 - 10 x 30
10
= 929.5 + 7.5
= P937.00

Q2 = LQ2 + 2n/4 - F ≤ Q2 x C
f Q2
= 959.5 + [2(50)/4] - 20 x 30
13
= 959.5 + 25 – 20 x 30
13
= 959.5 + 11.54
= P971.04

Q3 = LQ3 + 3n/4 - F ≤ Q3 x C
f Q3
= 989.5 + 3(50) - 33 x 30
__4________
8
= 989.5 + 37.5 - 33 x 30
8
= 989.5 + 16.88
= P1,006.38

DECILES: GROUPED DATA

DECILES – are values that divide the distribution into 10 equal parts.
PERCENTILES – are values that divide the distribution into 100 equal parts.
The quartiles, deciles and the percentiles are computed in the same way as the median.
For example, to find the decile D4, we use the formula:
D4 = LD4 + 4n - F ≤ D4 x C
_10________
f4

To determine percentile P30, we use the formula:

P30 = LP30 + 30n - F ≤ P30 x C

_100________
f P30

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Example: Referring to the distribution below, find D 6 and P40.

Weekly Wage ( in peso ) Number of Workers ( f ) Cumulative “less than”

frequency ( F≤ )
870 – 899 4 4
900 – 929 6 10
P40 930 – 959 10 20
D6 960 – 989 13 33
990 – 1019 8 41
1020 – 1049 7 48
1050 - 1079 2 50
n = 50

Solution:
D6 = LD6 + 6n - F ≤ D6 x C
_10________
f6
= 959.5 + 6(50) - 20 x 30
_ 10_______
13
= 959.5 + 23.08
= P982.58

P40 = LP40 + 40n - F ≤ P40 x C

_100________
f P40
= 929.5 + 40(50) - 10 x 30
_ 100________
10
= 929.5 + 20 - 10 x 30
10
= P959.50

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Activity :
Referring to the distribution below, find the following:
1. Q4
2. D8
3. D1
4. P20
5. P75