function q = quartiles( x )
  % returns a vector with the first, second, and third quartile of the vector x
  xs = sort( x );
  if ( length( xs ) == 0 )
    q = [];
  elseif ( rem( length( xs ), 2 ) == 0 )
    index = length( xs )/2;
    m = (xs( index ) + xs( index+1 ))/2;
    q = [ round( xs(length(xs)/4) ), m, xs(round(3*length(xs)/4)) ];
  else
    index = (length( xs ) + 1)/2;
    m = xs( index );
    q = [ round( xs(length(xs)/4) ), m, xs(round(3*length(xs)/4)) ];
  end
end