Date:         Tue, 7 Feb 2006 11:18:19 -0800
Reply-To:     David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: dividing data into quintiles
In-Reply-To:  <200602071854.k17IHHbw010531@mailgw.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

heydon@EMAIL.CHOP.EDU wrote back:
>SO, when dividing into quintiles, if there are ties, then the quintiles
>may be unequal.  is this true??

Yes.  Of course, if you have a very small proportion of ties, it is not
going to make
much difference - if any.

Try this yourself.


data temp1;
  do i = 1 to 20;
    if 11 <= i <= 17 then x = 14;
                    else x=i;
    output;
    end;
  run;

proc rank data=temp1 out=rank1 group=5;
  var x;
  ranks rankx;
  run;

proc print; run;


Note that one of your groups has seven identical values.  How else would you
split the data into quintiles of x?

HTH,
David
--
David L. Cassell
mathematical statistician
Design Pathways
3115 NW Norwood Pl.
Corvallis OR 97330

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