1. What is Percentile?

A percentile is a measure used in statistics indicating the value below which a given percentage of observations in a group of observations fall. For example, if you score in the 90th percentile, you scored better than 90% of the group.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentile formula:

Where:

• \( Rank \) — Position in the ordered list
• \( Total \) — Total number of items in the list

Explanation: The formula calculates what percentage of the total group is below the given rank position.

3. Importance of Percentile Calculation

Details: Percentiles are widely used in education (test scores), health (growth charts), and other fields to compare an individual's performance or measurement against a larger group.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your rank position (must be between 1 and total count) and the total number of items in the group. Both values must be positive integers with rank ≤ total.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between percentile and percentage?
A: A percentage is a mathematical value out of 100, while a percentile shows relative position within a group.

Q2: How is percentile rank different from simple rank?
A: Rank is the absolute position (1st, 2nd, etc.), while percentile rank shows what percentage of scores are below yours.

Q3: What does 50th percentile mean?
A: The 50th percentile is the median - half the scores are above it and half are below.

Q4: Can percentile be more than 100?
A: No, percentile values range from 0 to 100, representing the percentage of scores below the given value.

Q5: How are ties handled in percentile calculation?
A: Different methods exist, but this calculator uses the simplest approach where each rank position is treated distinctly.