I'll give you an example:
Find the first and third quartiles using this set of data - 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 20, 21.
Step 1: Put the numbers in order.
3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 20, 21.
Step 2: Make a mark in the center of the data:
3, 5, 7, 8, 9, | 11, 15, 16, 20, 21.
Step 3: Place parentheses around the numbers above and below the mark you made in Step 2–it makes Q1 and Q3 easier to spot.
(3, 5, 7, 8, 9), | (11, 15, 16, 20, 21).
Step 4: Find Q1 and Q3
Q1 is the median (the middle) of the lower half of the data, and Q3 is the median (the middle) of the upper half of the data.
(3, 5, 7, 8, 9), | (11, 15, 16, 20, 21). Q1 = 7 and Q3 = 16.