Percentile and percentages are terms that can hugely confuse learners appearing for multiple competitive exams.
That is why it is necessary to clarify what both of these bring to the table and evaluate individually.
It can assist children as well as professionals to use percentile and percentages as they should be for paper checking, population surveys, etc.
In this article, we will focus on percentile vs percentage while also going deeper into its utilization and other criteria of differences.
Table of Contents
What is Percentile?
Percentile is a statistical value that illustrates what proportion of them would be as or below the value to the overall group of observations.
Simply put, a percentile is a measure of the way that you rank against the others.
For example if you scored a 50th percentile, then you scored higher than the 50 percent of those who took the same examinations.
Percentiles find extensive application in comparison of ranking, or analysis of performance of a certain score comparative to the rest.
1. Where Percentiles Are Used?
Percentiles can also be used in the following situations:
- Rankings and standardized testing in schools.
- Children height/weight percentiles charts.
- Wages and labor market statistics.
- Research analysis.
- Fitness evaluations.
- Income distribution.
Percentiles are used to make comparisons of one person to a larger group of people.
They are also applied where the unaltered raw scores cannot be used to ascertain the situation.
What is Percentage?
Percentage is a mathematical figure that describes a fraction of an entirety, which is in per hundred.
For example when you have a score of 35/70 the percentage = (35/70)*100 = 50%.
Also, when your favourite store offers a 20% discount this implies that you will be paying 80% of the original price.
Percentages are direct, simple and purely numeric. It is not a comparison with other human beings.
1. Where Percentages Are Used?
In ordinary life percentages are more in use than percentiles:
- Exam scores (e.g., 86%)
- Discounts and taxes
- Interest rates
- Data interpretation
- Profit and loss in business.
- Scientific measurement
- Probability and statistics
- Financial tracking
Percentages are a value of proportion or even performance on its own.
Percentile vs Percentage: 8 Key Differences
The following table and then clear distinctions with bullet points clarifies percentile vs percentage more effectively.
| Feature | Percentage | Percentile |
| Definition | The value of one subdivision under hundred. | Statistical ranking giving you the percentage of those who you outperformed. |
| Purpose | Performance measure | Measures of rank in a group. |
| Symbol | % | No universal symbol (sometimes denoted as 80th, 90th, etc.) |
| Type | Pure mathematical value | Statistical ranking |
| Indicates | How much you scored. | The extent of your performance as compared to others. |
| Range | 0% to 100% | 0 to 99 (sometimes 100) |
| Relationship | Raw score measurement | Relies on assessment of scores. |
| Example | 90% = 90 marks out of 100 | 90th percentile = ranked higher than 90 percent of applicants. |
1. Definition
- Percentage: Percentage is a mathematical number used to indicate a portion of a whole as a figure of 100.
- Percentile: The measure is a rank, which indicates the percentage of people that you ranked higher compared to.
2. Purpose
- Percentage: Percentages measure the amount of accomplishments you made.
- Percentile: Assists in estimating where you rank in relation to the others.
3. Symbol
- Percentage: Uses the symbol %. You might have seen this symbol in news articles, surveys, exam results, and many other places.
- Percentile: Not symbolised; is written down as 50th percentile.
4. Type
- Percentage: Percentage is a mathematical operation.
- Percentile: It is a statistical calculation which is a bit more complex than percentage.
5. Indicates
- Percentage: Percentage shows your marks individually out of total marks.
- Percentile: Your position in a group.
6. Range
- Percentage: It should always be between 0 percent and 100 percent.
- Percentile: Typically ranging between 0 and 99 however there are systems where there can be 100 when you are at the very top.
7. Relationship
- Percentage: On the basis of your performance only.
- Percentile: Is also based on the performance of other people.
8. Example
- Percentage: You scored 75 marks out of 100, which means that your percentage is:
- Percentage = (75/100)*100 =75%
- Percentile: Imagine you had 100 students on a test and you got 20th. Percentile formula:
Percentile = [(100-20)/100]*100
= (80/100)*100
= 80th percentile. You got above 80% of the students.
Conclusion
Percentage and percentile indicates totally different aspects of assessing performance.
One is focused on performance based on your individual performance out of total securing marks (percentage), while the other gives you a relative comparison (percentile).
With deeper understanding and classification of percentile vs percentage, we can easily determine their field of use and benefits.
So, the next time when your kids look at their result cards in school exams or competitions, they would know how well they have performed.
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