PERCENTILE RANK

OBJECTIVE:
• Calculate the percentile rank .
• Interpret measures of position.
 Percentile ranks are particularly useful in relating individuals
scores to their positions in the entire group. A percentile rank is
typically defined as the proportion of scores in a distribution that a
specific score is greater than or equal to. For instance, if you receive
a score of 95 on a mathematics test and this score was greater than
or equal to the scores of 88% of the students taking the test, then
your percentile rank would be 88.

An example is the National Career Assessment Examination

(NCAE) given to Grade 9 students. The scores of students are
represented by their percentile rank.
 100 𝑃 −𝐿𝐵 𝑓𝑃
PPR = + 𝑐𝑓𝑃
𝑁 𝑖

Where:
PR = percentile rank, the answer will be a
percentage
N = total frequency
CfP = cumulative frequency of all the values below
critical value
P = raw score or value for which one wants to find a
percentile rank
LB = lower boundary of the kth percentile class
i = size of the class interval
EXAMPLE:
Find how many percent of the scores are greater than the
cumulative frequency of 38 in the mathematics test scores of 50
students.

Scores Frequency
46-50 4
41-45 8
36-40 11
31-35 9
26-30 12
21-25 6
Solution:
Scores Frequency Lower Less than
(f) Boundaries Cumulative
(LB) Frequency
(< cf)
46-50 4 45.5 50
41-45 8 40.5 46
36-40 11 35.5 38
31-35 9 30.5 27
26-30 12 25.5 18
21-25 6 20.5 6
N = 50
38 is within 36-40 100 𝑃 −𝐿𝐵 𝑓𝑃
LB = 35.5
PPR = + 𝑐𝑓𝑃
𝑁 𝑖
P = 38 100 38 −35.5 11
= + 27
N = 50 50 5
fP = 11 = 2 ( 32.5)
cfP = 27 PPR = 65
i =5

Therefore, 65% of the scores are less than the

cumulative frequency of 38, while 35% of the scores
are greater than the cumulative frequency of 38.
Example 2:
Assume that a researcher wanted to know the
percentage of consultants who made Php 5, 400 or
more per day.
Consultant Fees Number of Cumulative
LB
(in Php) Consultants Frequency
6400 – 7599 24 6399.5 120
5200 – 6399 36 5199.5 96
4000 – 5199 19 3999.5 60
2800 – 3999 26 2799.5 41
1600 – 2799 15 1599.5 15
Php 5,400 is within 5200 -6399

LB = 5199.5 100 𝑃 −𝐿𝐵 𝑓𝑃

PPR = + 𝑐𝑓𝑃
P = 5,400 𝑁 𝑖
100 5,400 −5199.5 36
N = 120 = + 60
120 1200
fP = 36
= 0.83 (66.015)
cfP = 60
i = 1200 = 54.79 or 55

Therefore, 55% of consultants make Php 5, 400 or

less per day and 45% of consultants make Php 5, 400
or more per day.
EXAMPLE:
Find the percentile rank of 34 and 42 of the
Mathematics test scores of 50 students.
Scores Frequency
46-50 4
41-45 8
36-40 11
31-35 9
26-30 12
21-25 6
Solution:
Less than
Lower
Class Frequency Cumulative
Boundaries
Interval (f) Frequency
(LB)
(< cf)
46-50 4 45.5 50
41-45 8 40.5 46
36-40 11 35.5 38
31-35 9 30.5 27
26-30 12 25.5 18
21-25 6 20.5 6
N = 50
34 is within 31-35

LB = 30.5 100 𝑃 −𝐿𝐵 𝑓𝑃

PPR = + 𝑐𝑓𝑃
P = 34 𝑁 𝑖
100 34−30.5 9
N = 50 = + 18
50 5
fP =9
= 2 (24.3)
cfP = 18
i =5 = 48.6

Therefore, 49% of the students got a score 34 or

less and 51% of the students got a score 34 or more.
42 is within 41-45

LB = 40.5 100 𝑃 −𝐿𝐵 𝑓𝑃

PPR = + 𝑐𝑓𝑃
P = 42 𝑁 𝑖
100 42−40.5 8
N = 50 = + 38
50 5
fP =8
= 2 (40.4)
cfP = 38
i =5 = 80.8

Therefore, 81% of the students got a score 42 or

less and 19% of the students got a score 42 or more.