What is the third quartile?
The third quartile, also known as the upper quartile, is the value below which 75% of the data set falls. It marks the data point at which the first 75% of the dataset ends and the remaining 25% begins. It can be used to represent the upper limit of the data set, which can be useful in understanding the distribution of data.
How to calculate the third quartile?
To calculate the third quartile, you need to follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Arrange data in ascending order.
The first step is to arrange the data set in ascending order. If the data has already been arranged in this manner, then you may skip this step.
Step 2: Find the median of the data set.
The second step is to find the median of the data set. The median is the value that separates the data set into two equal halves. To find the median, add the two middle numbers together and divide them by two. For example, if your data set is {2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16}, the median is calculated as follows:
Median = (8 + 10) / 2 = 9
Step 3: Find the median of the upper half of the data set.
The third step is to find the median of the upper half of the data set. This step involves selecting all data points that are above the median value and then finding the median of that selection. For example, using the data set mentioned above, the upper half of the data set would include {10, 12, 14, 16}, and the median value of the upper half would be:
Upper Median = (14 + 12) / 2 = 13
Step 4: The third quartile is the upper median.
The fourth and final step is to define the third quartile as the upper median. In the example above, the third quartile would be 13.
Using Excel to calculate the third quartile
Excel provides a built-in function to calculate the third quartile. The function is called QUARTILE.INC and has two arguments: the data range and the quartile number. To calculate the third quartile, follow these steps:
Step 1: Type your data set into a column.
Step 2: Click on an empty cell and type the following formula.
=QUARTILE.INC(A1:A8,3)
Step 3: Press enter.
The result will appear in the cell you placed the formula, and it will be the same as the manually calculated third quartile.
Conclusion
The third quartile is an important statistical measure that helps understand the upper end of the data set. It is the value below which 75% of the data set falls and provides an excellent opportunity to understand the range and distribution of your data. While it’s easy to calculate manually or using Excel, understanding how it works is the first step to effectively using it in data analysis.