quartile

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quartile" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in statistics to refer to the values that divide a data set into four equal parts. Example: "The first quartile represents the 25th percentile of the data set, indicating that 25% of the values fall below this point."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

He earned £5.5m in total, including a £1.1m bonus, and Pirc said: "The chief executive's salary is considered to be above the upper quartile of its comparator group.

The Guardian

"You can quickly end up with the people in the bottom quartile being average performers rather than poor performers," she notes.

The Economist

"A lot of schools are jostling for position in the upper quartile," he says.

The Economist

By contrast Bradford in West Yorkshire, a good comparison as it was as dependent on wool as Preston was on cotton, fell from the top to the bottom quartile.

The Economist

Things are a bit better in the second quartile, where real returns average 1.5%, where third quartile returns were flat.The clear winner was the fourth quartile, the period when yields were most inverted (short rates were higher than long).

The Economist

The result was that almost four times more immigrants came from the lowest quartile compared with the highest.

The Economist

Australia, Canada and the United States took in twice as many who were ranked in the top quartile compared with the lower three quartiles.

The Economist

Suppose you pick a top quartile fund, based on its performance over five years (over that period, it can't be luck, right?).

The Economist

Over the past ten years, the annual average returns of the top quartile of venture capitalists exceeded the returns of the third quartile by 21 percentage points.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Given that top-quartile firms usually far outperform the rest, for the average firm an industry-wide doubling of the money invested, spread over the typical ten years, would represent a disappointing annual rate of return.Certainly the influx of capital has brought much more competition to those parts of the economy that innovate through start-ups.

The Economist

Furthermore, in four or five categories, you are more likely to see your fund close, merge or change style than you are to see it as a top-quartile fund five years' hence.A contrarian indicator would still be useful.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing performance metrics, specify which "quartile" is being referenced (e.g., top, bottom, first, second) for clarity. For example, "the company aims to be in the top quartile for customer satisfaction".

Common error

Avoid assuming that being 'in the top "quartile"' means being among the very best. It simply means being in the upper 25% of a distribution, which can still include a wide range of performance levels.

Linguistic Context

The term "quartile" functions as a noun, typically referring to one of four equal groups into which a population can be divided. Ludwig examples show it in contexts such as the 'top quartile' or 'bottom quartile' of data sets, indicating relative position within a distribution. Ludwig AI confirms that the usage is correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

12%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Reference

2%

Science

2%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "quartile" is a noun used to divide data into four equal segments, commonly found in news & media and encyclopedias. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is used correctly and frequently, making it very common. To enhance clarity, specify which quartile is being referenced (e.g., top, bottom). Be mindful that being in a specific "quartile" only indicates a relative position, not necessarily superior or inferior performance. Semantically related alternatives include "25th percentile group" and "upper 25 percent". Ludwig's examples highlight the practical usage and importance of "quartile" in statistical analysis and reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

25th percentile group

Refers specifically to the first quartile, focusing on the percentile rank.

Upper 25 percent

Focuses on the highest quartile, often used in performance evaluations.

Bottom fourth

Specifies the lowest quartile, framing it as a fraction of the whole.

Data segment

Highlights the division aspect, suitable when discussing data analysis in broad terms.

Division of data into fourths

Emphasizes the action of dividing the data, rather than the resulting groups.

One quarter of data

Focuses on the proportional size of each quartile within the dataset.

Top slice of data

An informal alternative emphasizing the ranking and segmenting of data.

First fourth of the distribution

A more descriptive term to indicate where the quartile lies in the distribution.

Statistical quarter

Highlights the statistical nature of the division. Can also specify which quarter: "third statistical quarter".

Categorized data group

Highlights that "quartile" is a data categorization, can be used if you want to underline this aspect.

FAQs

How is the "quartile" of a data set determined?

To determine the "quartiles", the data set must first be sorted in ascending order. The first "quartile" (Q1) is the median of the lower half of the data, the second "quartile" (Q2) is the median of the entire data set, and the third "quartile" (Q3) is the median of the upper half of the data.

What does it mean to be in the top "quartile"?

Being in the top "quartile" means a data point falls within the highest 25% of values in a data set. It indicates a relatively high ranking compared to other data points in the distribution.

What are some alternatives to using the term "quartile"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "25th percentile group", "upper 25 percent", or "bottom fourth".

How does "quartile" differ from "percentile"?

While both "quartiles" and "percentiles" divide data into segments, "quartiles" specifically divide data into four equal parts (25% each), whereas "percentiles" divide data into 100 equal parts (1% each). Therefore, "quartiles" are specific instances of "percentiles".