To find how many test scores are at or below the 12th percentile in a sample of 500 test scores, you multiply the total number of scores by 12%.

Here's the calculation:

$\text{Number of scores} = 500 \times \frac{12}{100} = 500 \times 0.12 = 60$

So, 60 test scores would be at or below the 12th percentile.

Would you like more details or have any other questions?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. What is the significance of percentiles in test scores?
2. How do you calculate a specific percentile for a given dataset?
3. How do percentiles compare to z-scores in statistics?
4. What is the difference between a percentile and a percentile rank?
5. How do you determine the percentile if the number of scores isn't easily divisible?

Tip: Percentiles help in understanding the distribution of scores relative to a population, making them useful in comparing individual scores to a larger dataset.