INTERPRETIN

G MEASURES
OF POSITION
JUST REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:
 EXAMPLE 1: THE THIRD QUARTILE (𝑄3) OF THE
AGES OF THE 506 GRADE 10 STUDENTS OF A
CERTAIN BARANGAY HIGH SCHOOL IS 16 YEARS
OLD. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
• Answer: Since the third quartile is equal to 75th percentile,
therefore it means that 75% of the entire Grade 10 students of a
certain barangay high school has the age that is less than or
equal to 16 years old. In other words, there are 379 Grade 10
students that are aging 16 years old and below. It also means
that 25% or 127 of the Grade 10 students have ages above 16
years old.
EXAMPLE 2: A CERTAIN GOVERNMENT EXAMINATION
COMPOSED OF 100 ITEMS HAS A PASSING SCORE WHICH IS
THE 75TH PERCENTILE. WHAT DOES IT IMPLY?

•Answer: It implies that an examinee must

answer at least 75 items correctly in order for
him to pass the test.
EXAMPLE 3: THE SCORE OF JAMES IN ENGLISH IN THEIR SECOND
PERIODICAL EXAMINATION IS THE 9TH DECILE (𝐷9 ). IF THE PASSING
SCORE IS THE UPPER QUARTILE (𝑄3), DID HE PASS THE TEST?
(ASSUME THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT VALUES OF 𝐷9 AND 𝑄3.)

• Answer: 𝐷9 = 𝑃90 and 𝑄3 = 𝑃75. Since we assume

that 𝐷9 and 𝑄3 are of different values, therefore
James passed the examination because the score of
James is greater than the passing score, that is, 𝐷9
> 𝑄3
EXAMPLE 4: TEACHER JEN IS GETTING THE HEIGHT OF HER 28 STUDENTS IN GRADE 10
SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS FOR COMPUTING BODY MASS INDEX (BMI). SHE NOTICED THAT
EACH OF THE VALUES OF THE HEIGHT OF HER STUDENTS IS UNIQUE. SHE TOLD ONE OF
HER STUDENTS, MICHELLE, THAT HER HEIGHT IS THE 30TH PERCENTILE. HOW MANY
STUDENTS ARE SHORTER THAN HER? HOW MANY ARE TALLER THAN HER?