SANTA FILOMENA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Sta. Filomena, Alegria, Cebu
Subject: Statistics and Probability ______Quarter : 3 Week : 7
I. MELC:
illustrates the t-distribution. M11/12SP-IIIg-2
identifies percentiles using the t-table. M11/12SP-IIIg-5
II. Objective/s:
illustrates the t-distribution.
identifies percentiles using the t-table.
III. Subject Matter: Percentile and the T-Distribution
IV. References: Module 7 @ DepED Bataan
V. Procedure:
Reading:
Lesson 1: Percentile and the T-
Distribution
Percentiles have been discussed on your Grade 10 and their uses. These were also
discussed that percentiles are identifier of a student’s performance in comparison to the
performance of the whole class.
In this lesson, you will explore and understand the student’s t-distribution and
identify the percentiles using the t-tables.
The t-distribution (also called Student’s t-distribution) is a family of distributions
that look almost identical to the normal distribution curve, only a bit shorter and stouter.
The t-distribution is used instead of the normal distribution when you have small samples.
The larger the sample size, the more the t distribution looks like the normal distribution.
In fact, for sample sizes larger than 20 (e.g. more degrees of freedom), the distribution is
almost exactly like the normal distribution.
The t-distribution is similar to a normal distribution. It has a precise mathematical
definition. Instead of diving into complex math, let’s look at the useful properties of the t-
distribution and why it is important in analysis of any set of statistical quantitative data.
• Like the normal distribution, the t-distribution has a smooth shape.
• Like the normal distribution, the t-distribution is symmetric. If you think about
folding it in half at the mean, each side will be the same.
• Like a standard normal distribution (or z-distribution), the t-distribution has a
mean of zero.
• The normal distribution assumes that the population standard deviation is known.
The t-distribution does not make this assumption.
• The t-distribution is defined by the degrees of freedom. These are related to the
sample size.
• The t-distribution is most useful for small sample sizes, when the population
standard deviation is not known, or both.
• As the sample size increases, the t-distribution becomes more similar to a normal
distribution.
Using the t-table, shown on the next page we can be able to identify the t value of a certain
data.
1
Let us be familiar first with the following words:
1. Degree of freedom - This refers to the maximum number of logically independent
values which vary in the data sample.
2. Percentile – This is a measure of position with data divided into 100 parts.
Illustrative example:
1. Identify the t-value whose number of samples n = 7 and has an area (𝛼) equal to 0.05.
2. Find the t-value whose degree of freedom is 20 and has 𝛼 = 0.01.
3. Identify the t-value of the following percentiles given the number of samples.
a. 95th percentile , N= 30
b. 90th percentile, N=20
Solution:
1. To identify the t-value, identify first the degree of freedom using the formula
𝑑𝑓 = 𝑛 − 1
where 𝑛 is the sample size.
𝑑𝑓 = 𝑛 − 1
𝑑𝑓 = 7 − 1
𝑑𝑓 = 6
Locate the t-value on the t-table using the degree of freedom and the area (𝛼)
Therefore, the t-value with sample size of 7 and has 𝛼 = 0.05 is 1.943.
2. Since the degree of freedom and 𝛼 are already given locate the t-value on the t-table.
Therefore the t-value is 2.528.
2
3. a. The 95th percentile is the number where 95% of the values lie below it and 5% lie
above it, so you want the right-tail area to be 0.05. Move across the row, find the
column for 0.05, and then locate the t-value using n=30 or df = 29.
So therefore, the t-value of P95 with 𝒏 = 𝟑𝟎 𝒊𝒔 𝟏. 𝟔𝟗𝟗.
b. The 90th percentile is the number where 90% of the values lie below it and 10% lie
above it, so you want the right-tail area to be 0.01. Move across the row, find the
column for 0.05, and then locate the t-value using n=20 or df = 19.
Therefore, the t-value of 90th percentile with n= 20 is 1.328
3
Activity
Complete the table below by identifying the degree of freedom, right-tailed area and the
t-value for each percentiles and the sample size.
Assessment:
A. Triple Matching Type: Match column A (the t-value) to Column B (the degree of
freedom) and then to column C (the percentile).
B. Rowena wants to test a randomly selected 20 students for her study. Identify the t-
value of the following percentiles.
1. 75th percentile
2. 5th percentile
3. 60th percentile
4. 40th percentile
5. 90th percentile
4
Kindly keep this table for the upcoming weeks for SLHT’s and Exam.
Below is the t-table which you can use to find the t-value
