What is percentile? Percentiles Explained with Examples.

 

Percentiles Explained with Examples.

A percentile is a measure used in statistics to describe the position of a particular data point in a dataset relative to the rest of the data. Specifically, it indicates the percentage of values in a dataset that are equal to or less than the given value.

For example, if a student scores in the 80th percentile on a standardized test, it means that their score is better than or equal to 80% of the other test-takers. In other words, only 20% of the test-takers scored higher than the student.

To calculate a percentile, you first need to order the data from lowest to highest. Then, you can determine the rank of the data point in question by counting how many data points are below it in the ordered list. Finally, you can convert this rank to a percentile by dividing it by the total number of data points and multiplying by 100.

For example, suppose a dataset consists of the following 10 values:

2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15

If we want to find the percentile of the value 9, we first order the data:

2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15

Then, we count how many values are below 9: 6. We divide this by the total number of data points (10) and multiply by 100 to get the 60th percentile. Therefore, 9 is at the 60th percentile in this dataset, meaning that 60% of the values are less than or equal to 9.

Percentile System for Exams

Why percentile system is used in competitive exams like jee mains and mht cet ? 

The percentile system is used in competitive exams like JEE mains and MHT CET to provide a fair and unbiased way of comparing the performance of students across different exam sessions and years. This is because these exams are conducted in multiple sessions, and the difficulty level of the question paper may vary slightly in each session.

Under the percentile system, a student's score is compared with the scores of all other students who appeared for the exam in the same year. The percentile score indicates the percentage of students who scored less than or equal to the candidate's score. For example, if a student has a percentile score of 90, it means that he or she has scored more than 90% of the students who appeared for the exam in that year.

This system helps to account for any variations in the difficulty level of the question paper and provides a level playing field for all candidates. It also ensures that the selection process is fair and transparent, as students are selected based on their performance relative to their peers.