Interquartile range, step by step

The range measures the whole spread.

The question

IQR of 34, 48, 44, 21, 43, 20, 31

given:34484421432031
sorted:20213134434448
sorted:20213134434448
sorted:20213134434448
Q1 = 21Q3 = 44
Q1 = 21Q3 = 44
4421=23
  1. The interquartile range is the spread of the MIDDLE half. First put the numbers in order.
  2. Cross out the middle number, 34, to split the rest into a lower half and an upper half.
  3. The middle of the lower half is Q1 = 21, and the middle of the upper half is Q3 = 44.
  4. The IQR is the distance between them: 44 − 21 = 23.

How it works.

  1. 01

    The interquartile range is the spread of the MIDDLE half. First put the numbers in order.

  2. 02

    Cross out the middle number, 34, to split the rest into a lower half and an upper half.

  3. 03

    The middle of the lower half is Q1 = 21, and the middle of the upper half is Q3 = 44.

  4. 04

    The IQR is the distance between them: 44 − 21 = 23.