MathProblem-Solving & Data AnalysisLow frequency
SAT Math: Understanding Percentiles
14+ practice questions in Praczo
What you need to know
The concept, explained
- 1
A percentile indicates the value below which a given percentage of observations fall.
- 2
For example, scoring in the 80th percentile means you scored higher than 80% of the people who took the test.
- 3
The 50th percentile is exactly the median.
- 4
The 25th percentile is Q1, and the 75th percentile is Q3.
- 5
Do not confuse a percentile score (e.g., 90th percentile) with a percentage score (e.g., getting 90% of the questions right).
Common mistakes
- ✗ Assuming the 50th percentile means you got 50% of the answers correct.
- ✗ Thinking that the 100th percentile is achievable (you cannot score better than 100% of people, including yourself; the highest is typically the 99th percentile).
Try a sample question
SAT-style practice
If a student's height sits precisely at the median of his class, what percentile is his height?
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