QUARTILE.EXC function
Quick answer
QUARTILE.EXC returns the first, second or third quartile using the exclusive method, which some statistics tools and textbooks use.
- Syntax
=QUARTILE.EXC(array, quart)- Most common use
=QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,1)returns 15 (First quartile, exclusive method: 15)
It only takes 1 to 3, and on a short list its quartiles sit a little further out than QUARTILE.INC's. Use it when your quartiles need to match those tools.
- Available in
- Excel 2010 and later
- Category
- Statistical functions
- Returns
- A number; #NUM! if quart is 0, 4 or more, or the list is too short.
- Google Sheets
- Google Sheets has QUARTILE.EXC too.
Syntax
=QUARTILE.EXC(array, quart)
| Argument | Required? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
array | Required | The numbers. Text and blanks are skipped. |
quart | Required | 1 first quartile, 2 median, 3 third quartile. |
Examples
Each result below is calculated from the sample sheet by our formula engine, the same one that grades the practice.
| Cell | Formula | Result | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| C2 | =QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,1) | 15 | First quartile, exclusive method: 15 |
| C3 | =QUARTILE.EXC(A2:A12,3) | 43 | Third quartile: 43 |
| C4 | =QUARTILE.INC(A2:A12,1) | 25.5 | The inclusive method puts the first quartile at 25.5 |
Try it live
This is the sample sheet. Change any number or text, or edit a formula, and the results update.
Show the sample data as a table
| Score | Result | |
| 6 | 15 | |
| 7 | 43 | |
| 15 | 25.5 | |
| 36 | ||
| 39 | ||
| 40 | ||
| 41 | ||
| 42 | ||
| 43 | ||
| 47 | ||
| 49 |
Practice QUARTILE.EXC
Graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data.
First quartile, exclusive method
D2, calculate the first quartile of the test scores in B2:B12 using the exclusive method.Common mistakes
| What you see | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| #NUM! | quart is 0 or 4. Use MIN and MAX for the ends, or QUARTILE.INC. |
| Different from QUARTILE | QUARTILE and QUARTILE.INC use the inclusive method, so the results differ, most on short lists. |
Tips
- QUARTILE.EXC(range,2) is the median, the same as QUARTILE.INC(range,2).
Questions
Which quartile method does Excel use?
QUARTILE and QUARTILE.INC use the inclusive method, QUARTILE.EXC the exclusive one. Box and whisker charts let you choose either.
Why does QUARTILE.EXC(…,0) give #NUM!?
The exclusive method has no 0th or 4th quartile. Use MIN or MAX.
Updated Checked by running: every formula on this page was run by our formula engine on .