The idea of percentile is used in the field of statistics.
The notion of percentile is used in the field of statistics to refer to the value that makes it possible to divide an ordered series of data so that a percentage of said data is lower than the value in question .
The percentile is also mentioned as a measure of position . This is a value that allows comparison of an ordered set of data.
If we take a set of data, we can indicate that the percentile for a certain value indicates the percentage of the data that is equal to or less than that value . Therefore, it allows a sample to be positioned in the total.
Percentile Examples
Let's see how percentile works through examples . Suppose we have data on the number of children each couple has in a town. If a couple has four children and is in the 90th percentile , this means that it is above 90% of the marriages in that location. Or, expressed another way, that 90% of marriages in the region have fewer than four children.
In the case of the income obtained by the inhabitants of a neighborhood of 100,000 people , if a neighbor earns 5,000 pesos per month and is located in the 70th percentile , that income places him or her above 70% of the rest of the inhabitants.
The most common use of the idea of percentile is linked to the weight , length , body mass index , and head circumference of a baby or child.
The percentile for a certain value reveals the percentage of the data that is less than or equal to that value.
Growth curves
Specifically, we cannot ignore the existence of what are known as growth percentiles . These, which are also known as growth curves , turn out to be tables that pediatricians use with the aim of being able to assess whether their little patients are having normal development, according to the existing reference values taking into account age, sex and race.
In Spain , for example, the percentiles created by the Faustino Orbegozo Eizaguirre Foundation are used. Specifically, we can establish that two percentiles are used: one that is to analyze the growth of children between 0 and 2 years old and another that is for children between 2 and 14 years old. Of course, they differentiate boys from girls.
Likewise, it is interesting to know that when a child is below the 3rd percentile or above the 97th percentile, they need to be examined by their pediatrician. Yes, because this situation indicates that your growth is having some problem.
Nowadays, you should know that the Internet offers parents a wide variety of percentile calculators . In this way, they, personally and from home, can keep track of how their children are progressing. However, that does not mean that they should also take their little ones to see their pediatrician periodically. And the professional will be the one who will know how to properly interpret the percentiles and study the situation if inappropriate data is perceived.