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Percentile Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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percentile

[pษ™rหˆsษ›nหŒtaษชl ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

statistical measurement

A percentile is a measure used in statistics that indicates the value below which a given percentage of observations fall. For example, the 90th percentile is the value below which 90 percent of the observations occur. Percentiles are used to provide insights into distribution and comparisons within datasets.

Synonyms

decile, measure, quartile.

Examples of usage

  • In the 75th percentile, 75% of the scores are below that value.
  • The student's score was in the 90th percentile for the exam results.
  • He is in the 50th percentile for height compared to others his age.

Translations

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Interesting Facts

Education

  • Standardized tests often report results using percentiles to indicate how a student performed relative to others in their grade.
  • For example, being in the 90th percentile means a student scored better than 90% of their peers.
  • Percentiles can help identify areas for improvement by showing where a student stands within a broader context.

Statistics

  • Percentiles are useful in descriptive statistics to summarize and describe large data sets.
  • The 50th percentile is also known as the median, which divides a data set into two equal halves.
  • Percentiles can be used in various fields, including business, sports, and health, to assess performance and trends.

Health

  • In medicine, percentiles are often used to assess body measurements against growth standards for children.
  • For example, a child's height in the 75th percentile means they are taller than 75% of peers their age, helping doctors track development.
  • Percentile ranks can help identify potential health issues when growth falls below a certain threshold.

Technology

  • Data science often employs percentiles for analyzing performance metrics, like response times in services and applications.
  • Percentile analysis helps understand user engagement and can guide decisions in software development.
  • In machine learning, percentiles are used to evaluate models and their predictions against real-world data.

Origin of 'percentile'

Main points about word origin

  • The term 'percentile' comes from the combination of 'percent,' meaning out of 100, and the Latin suffix '-ile,' which denotes capability.
  • First used in statistics in the 19th century, the concept helped in comparing different data sets effectively.
  • In educational contexts, it became popular to assess student performance and compare it with peer groups.

The word 'percentile' is derived from the combination of 'percent'โ€”which comes from the Latin 'centum' meaning 'hundred'โ€”and the suffix '-ile', which indicates a relationship or capacity. The term was first used in the early 20th century within the field of statistics. The concept of percentiles is essential for understanding the distribution of a set of data and has become widely used in educational testing, health assessments, and various scientific research areas. The utility of percentiles allows researchers and analysts to summarize large sets of data and identify outliers, trends, and performance metrics in an efficient manner.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,735, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.