A percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100, while a percentile is a way of expressing a number as a rank or position in a distribution of values. A percentage tells us how much of something there is, while a percentile tells us how well something performed compared to others. To infer the results for an attendee at 75%, 90th percentile, we need to understand what these two numbers mean.
75% means that the attendee scored 75 out of 100 possible points on the exam. This is the absolute score of the attendee, which does not depend on how others performed.
90th percentile means that the attendee scored higher than 90% of all the attendees who took the exam. This is the relative score of the attendee, which depends on how others performed. For example, if there were 1000 attendees, the 90th percentile would mean that the attendee scored higher than 900 attendees, and lower than 100 attendees.
Therefore, the correct inference is that while the attendee’s exam score was 75/100, the attendee did better than 90% of the attendees. This means that the attendee’s score was above average, and that the exam was relatively difficult or had a low pass rate. References:
Difference Between Percentage and Percentile | Major Differences - BYJU’S, BYJU’S, accessed on January 20, 2024.
Difference Between Percentage and Percentile (with Examples and Comparison Chart) - Key Differences, Key Differences, accessed on January 20, 2024.
Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA ® - CBDA), IIBA, accessed on January 20, 2024.
