Measures of Dispersion or Variability for Grouped Data

Range
The range for grouped data can be computed by getting the difference between the upper
class boundary of the highest class and the lower boundary of the lowest class.

(∑ )
∑ ̅ ∑
Sample Variance or

(∑ )
∑ ̅ ∑
Population Variance or

(∑ )
√∑
Sample Standard Deviation = √

(∑ )
√∑
Population Standard deviation =√

Coefficient of Variation for the sample ̅

Coefficient of Variation for the population

where

- is the sample standard deviation - is the population standard deviation

- is the sample variance - is the population variance
̅ - is the sample mean - is the population mean
- is the respective observation or case
– is the midpoint or class mark of the ith class interval
- is the frequency of the ith class interval
n - is the number of observations or cases in the sample
N - is the number of observations or cases in the population
Example

The following is the frequency distribution of time spent (in minutes) by selected 50
elementary students to walk from their homes to school daily in a certain barrio.

Class

Time spent Frequency mark Class Cumulative

(in minutes) (f ) boundaries frequency

3 (3)(67.5) = (67.5)(67.5) (3)(4556.25)

63 - 72 67.5 62.5 – 72.5 50
202.5 = 4556.25 =13668.75

(5)(57.5) = (57.5)(57.5) (5)(3306.25)

53 - 62 5 57.5 52.5 – 62.5 47
287.5 = 3306.25 =16531.25

43 - 52 9 47.5 42.5 – 52.5 427.5 42 2256.25 20306.25

33 - 42 12 37.5 32.5 – 42.5 450 33 1406.25 16875

23 - 32 7 27.5 22.5 – 32.5 192.5 21 756.25 5293.75

13 - 22 8 17.5 12.5 – 22.5 140 14 306.25 2450

3 - 12 6 7.5 2.5 – 12.5 45 6 56.25 337.5

∑
∑
n = 50

Using the formulas

Range: upper class boundary of the highest class - lower boundary of the lowest class
72.5 – 2.5 = 70

Computing Sample Variance

(∑ )
∑

We have

(∑ )
∑
= =

= = 297.1837

Computing Sample Standard Deviation

√ = √
 ∑
Finding the Sample mean ̅

∑
̅ =

Computing the Coefficient of Variation ̅

 Worksheet 4.5

Name:_________________________________________ Score: ________________

Class Schedule:________________________ Year & Course:___________________

1. Compute the range, variance, standard deviation, mean and coefficient of variation of
the following heights of selected 50 students in DOSCST.

Class
Frequency Class Cumulative
Height Mark
(f ) Boundaries Frequency

80 - 84 4 82 79.5 – 84.5 328 50 6724 26896

75 – 79 12 74.5 – 79.5 46

70 – 74 15 69.5 – 74.5 34

65 – 69 12 64.5 – 69.5 19

60 – 64 5 59.5 – 64.5 7

55 – 59 2 57 54.5 – 59.5 114 2 3249 6498

∑ ∑
Total

Range:

Variance:

Standard Deviation:

Mean:

Coefficient of Variation:
 2. Compute the range, variance, standard deviation and coefficient of variation of the
following ages of all faculty members in a community college.

Class
Frequency Class Cumulative
Height Mark
(f ) Boundaries Frequency

65 – 71 4

58 – 64 5

51 – 57 9

44 – 50 12

37 – 43 8

30 – 36 7

23 – 29 5

∑ ∑
Total

Range:

Variance:

Standard Deviation:

Mean:

Coefficient of Variation:
 Measures of Relative Position

There are three common measure of position namely percentile, decile and quartile which will
be discussed in this section.

Percentiles

Percentiles are measures that divide an ordered set of observations or data into 100 equal
parts. The measures are denoted P1; P2; P3; …; P99; P100 For example, the 1st percentile (P1)
means that 1% of the observations falls below the value of P 1; the 30th percentile (P30) means
that 30% of the observations fall below P 30; and the 98th percentile means that 98% of the
observations fall below P98.
For ungrouped data
First the observations must be arranged in order from lowest to highest value and the following
sample formula will be used. Just follow the pattern when you want to determine other
positions.

P8 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.08(n+1)

P25 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.25(n+1) 8 is
P50 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.50(n+1) 8÷ , and
P90 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.90(n+1) other follows
P100 is the value of observation (x) in the position 1(n+1)

For grouped data

( )
Formula: [ ]

where - is the desired relative position (i.e. P10; P25; P90; P100)
N - is the number of observations or total frequency.
L - is the lower class boundary of the class where (Pn)th value belongs.
F - is the cumulative frequency of the class interval immediately before the class
where
(Pn)th value belongs.
f - the frequency of the class where (Pn)th value belongs
c - is the class size or class width

Quartiles
Quartiles are measures that divide an ordered set of observations or data into 4 equal parts.
The measures are denoted Q1; Q2; and Q3. For example, the 1st quartile (Q1) means that 25%
of the observations falls below the value of Q 1; the 2ndquartile (Q2) means that 50% of the
observations fall below Q2 ; and the 3rd quartile means that 75% of the observation fall below
Q3.
For ungrouped data

First the observations must be arranged in order from lowest to highest value and the following
sample formula will be used. Just follow the pattern when you want to determine other
positions.

Q1 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.25(n+1) 25 is ÷ 4,

Q2 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.50(n+1) and other
Q3 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.75 (n+1) follows
Q4 is the value of observation (x) in the position 1 (n+1)
For grouped data
( )
Formula: [ ]

where - is the desired relative position (i.e. Q1; Q2; Q3; Q4)
L - is the lower class boundary of the class where (Qn)th value belongs.
N - is the number of observations or total frequency.
F - is the cumulative frequency of the class interval immediately before the class
where
(Qn)th value belongs.
f - the frequency of the class where(Qn)th value belongs
c - is the class size or class width

Deciles

Deciles are measures that divide an ordered set of observations or data into 10 equal parts.
The measures are denoted D1; D2;D3;…D9; D10. For example, the 1st decile (D1) means that
10% of the observations falls below the value of D 1; the 2nd decile (D2) means that 20% of the
observations fall below the value of D2 ; and the 3rd decile means that 30% of the observation
fall below D3.

For ungrouped data

First the observations must be arranged in order from lowest to highest value and the following
sample formula will be used. Just follow the pattern when you want to determine other
positions.

D1 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.10(n+1)

D3 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.30(n+1) is ÷ ,
D5 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.50(n+1) and other
D7 is the value of observation (x) in the position 0.70(n+1) follows

For grouped data

( )
Formula: [ ]

where - is the desired relative position (i.e. D1; D2; D3; D4)
L - is the lower class boundary of the class where (Dn)th value belongs.
N - is the number of observations or total frequency.
F - is the cumulative frequency of the class interval immediately before the class
where
(Dn)th value belongs.
f - the frequency of the class where (Dn)th value belongs
c - is the class size or class width

Example:

For Ungrouped data

The following are scores of 13 students in an exam in history:

70, 85, 77, 94, 90, 79, 78, 75, 82, 72, 93, 74, 86
You have to arrange the data set or scores in increasing order:
70, 72, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 82, 85, 86, 90, 93, 94
  Calculate the 50th percentile or P50: The position of x in the 50th percentile or
5 7. From the arranged data set, the score corresponding to the 7 th
position is 79. So 79. If the student’s score is in the 50 th percentile, you can now
say that 50% of the scores fall below 79 or the student is higher than 50% of the
students who took the history exam.
 Calculate the 90th percentile or P90: The position of x in 9 26 .
Note that the result is not a whole number. From the arranged data set, take first the
score on the 12th position which is 93 and include the score in the next higher position
(the 13th), that is 94, in the computation as shown below:
The 12.6th position is 9 9 94 9 9 9 9 9
So 9 9 94
 Calculate the 3rd quartile or Q 3 : The position of x in 75 5 . Note
that the result is not a whole number. From the arranged data set, take first the score
on the 10th position which is 86 and include the score in the next higher position (the
11th), that is 90, in the computation as shown below:
The 10.5th position is 86 75 9 86 86 75 4 89
So 89
 Calculate the 1st decile or D1 : The position of x in 4 . Note that
the result is not a whole number. From the arranged data set, take first the score on
the 1st position which is 70 and include the score in the next higher position (the 2 nd),
that is 72, in the computation as shown below:
The 1.4th position is 7 72 7 7 2 7 2
So 7 2

For grouped data

Frequency distribution of students’ scores in mathematics exam

Class Interval Class Frequency

Class boundary Cumulative frequency
(Scores) (f)

43 – 46 1 42.5 – 46.5 50 –

39 - 42 3 38.5 – 42.5 49 –

35 - 38 4 34.5 – 38.5 46 –

31 - 34 5 30.5 – 34.5 42 –

27 - 30 10 26.5 – 30.5 37 –

23 - 26 9 22.5 – 26.5 27 –

19 - 22 7 18.5 – 22.5 18 –

15 - 18 6 14.5 – 18.5 11 –

11 - 14 3 10.5 – 14.5 5 –

7 - 10 2 6.5 – 10.5 2 –

5
1. Find the 30th percentile or P30

Note: P30 is 30% of 50, that is 5 = (0.30)(50) = 15

th
The class where P30 value = 15 is reached using the cumulative frequency is
the class 9 22.

5
85 [ ]4
7

8 5 [ 57 4 ]4
8 5 2 2857
2 786 2

2 means that 30% of the scores fall below 21 or the student’s score is in the
30th percentile and he/she is higher than 30% of the other examinees in the exam.
However this does not necessarily mean that the student got 30 score on the
examination.

2. Find the 2nd quartile or Q2

Note: Q2 is 50% of 50, that is 5 = (0.50)(50) = 25

The class where Q2th value = 25 is reached using the cumulative frequency is the
class 2 26.

25 8
22 5 [ ]4
9
22 5 7777 4
= 22 5
25 6 26

26 means that 50% of the scores fall below 26 or the student is higher than 50%
of the other examinees in the mathematics exam.

3. Find the 7th decile or D7

Note: D7 is 70% of 50, that is 5 = (0.70)(50) = 35

The class where D7 th value = 35 is reached using the cumulative frequency is the
class 27 .

5 27
26 5 [ ]4
26 5 8 4
= 26 5 2
29 7

means that 70% of the scores fall below 30.

 Worksheet 4.6

Name:_________________________________________ Score: ________________

Class Schedule:_________________________ Year & Course:__________________

1. Using the scores of students in the history exam given above, compute the following:
70, 85, 77, 94, 90, 79, 78, 75, 82, 72, 93, 74, 86
th
a) 20 percentile

b) 75th percentile

c) 2nd quartile

d) 3rd decile

e) P80

f) D5

2. Using the frequency distribution of students’ scores in mathematics exam given above,
compute the following:

Class Interval Class Frequency

Class boundary Cumulative frequency
(Scores) (f)
43 – 46 1 42.5 – 46.5 50 –
39 – 42 3 38.5 – 42.5 49 –
35 – 38 4 34.5 – 38.5 46 –
31 – 34 5 30.5 – 34.5 42 –
27 – 30 10 26.5 – 30.5 37 –
23 – 26 9 22.5 – 26.5 27 –
19 – 22 7 18.5 – 22.5 18 –
15 – 18 6 14.5 – 18.5 11 –
11 – 14 3 10.5 – 14.5 5 –
7 – 10 2 6.5 – 10.5 2 –
5
a) 50th percentile

b) 75th percentile

c) 3rd quartile

d) 3rd decile

e) P90

f) D5