centil

A centil is a unit of measurement used in some contexts, particularly in statistics and probability, to represent one percent of a total. It is equivalent to 0.01 of a whole. The term "centil" is derived from the Latin word "centum," meaning one hundred. Centils are used to divide a dataset into 100 equal parts, with each centil containing the same number of data points.

For example, if a dataset has 1000 values, the first centil would contain the first 10 values, the second centil the next 10, and so on. This allows for a finer-grained analysis of data distribution compared to broader measures like quartiles or deciles. Centils are particularly useful when dealing with large datasets where detailed insights into the distribution are required. They help in identifying specific points within the data range and understanding the concentration of values.

While not as commonly used as percentiles, centils offer a more granular view. A percentile, for instance, divides a dataset into 100 parts, but a centil is essentially a specific type of percentile where the focus is on dividing the data into exactly 100 equal segments. The concept is similar to how a centimeter is one hundredth of a meter, hence the shared root word. In practice, analyzing data in centils can reveal subtle patterns or outliers that might be missed with less precise divisions.