THE NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

Normal Curve
- also called the Normal Probability Curve
or Gaussian Curve
- figure representing a normal distribution
of data.
Properties of the Normal Curve
- for continuous-type of random variable
- bell shaped
- M =Md =Mo
- central around the mean
- asymptotic to the x-axis on both sides
and extends in both directions toward
infinity
- total area =100%
The Standard Score (the z- score)
- determines how many standard deviations a score is from the mean.
Examples:
1. The score of all the students taking up a Statistics class has an average of 24.30, with a standard deviation of 5.45. Determine the standard score
(or z-score) of the following:
a) a score of 35
b) a score of 16
c) a score of 10
2. Two equivalent tests were given to a similar group. The tests are designed with different scales. The statistics of the tests are given below. Which
is better, a score of 145 on Test I, or a score of 60 onTest II?
On Test I: Mean =100 On Test II: Mean =40
St.Dev. =15 St.Dev.=5
3. Kristine got 141 in Chemistry and 112 in Math. If the average of the scores in Chemistry is 148, with a standard deviation of 3.2, while the average
of the scores in Math is 115, with a standard deviation of 2.3, in what course did she perform better?
Areas Under the Normal Curve
- determines the area (in percentage) that a standard score occupies from the mean.
- use Table A of your textbook (page 386)
Find the following:
1. Area from z =0 to z =.83 2. Area from z =0 to z =1.75

2o 1o 0o 1o 2o
M
Md
Mo
68.26%
13.59% 13.59%

2.18% 2.18%

x
or
s
x x
z

=
3. Area from z =0 to z = 1.26
4. Area from z =.87 to the right.
5. Area from z =1.04 to the left.
6. Area from z =- 1.40 to the right.
7. Area from z =.5 to z =1.3
8. Area from z 1.5 to 1.0
9. Area from z =.40 to z =.80
10. Area from z =1.3 to z =-2.85
Find the z- score
of the following:
Word Problems Leading to Normal Distribution (taken from the textbook):
Exercise 6.6. If the heights of male youngsters are normally distributed with a mean of 60 inches
and a standard deviation of 10, what percentage of the boys heights (in inches) would expect to be
a) between 45 and 75 b) between 30 and 90
c) less than 50
d) 45 or more
e) 75 or more
f) between 50 and 75
Exercise 6.8. Assume that the age at onset of disease X is distributed normally with a mean of
50 years and a standard deviation of 12 years. What is the probability that an individual afflicted with
disease X developed it
a) before age 35?
b) between ages 34 and 70?
c) beyond age 54?
Exercise 6.7. An instructor is administering a final examination. She tells her class that she will give an A to the
10% of students who earn the highest grades. Past experience with the same examination has shown
that the mean grade is 75 and the standard deviation is 8. If the present class runs true to form, what
grade would a student need to earn an A? Assume a normally distributed scores.
Exercise 6.13. The weights of 18 to 24-year old women are normally distributed with a mean of 132 pounds and
a variance of 750.76 sq. pounds. If one randomly selected 150 of these women ages 18-24, how many of
them would expect to weight 100-150 pounds?
Exercise 6.20. Serum cholesterol levels were taken from a population of college students. Males had a mean of
195 and a standard deviation of 10. Females had a mean of 185 and a standard deviation of 12.
a) What were the cholesterol levels of the highest 5% of the males?
b) What percentage of females would have a cholesterol level of less than 180?
c) What percentage of males would have a cholesterol level between 180 and 200?
d) What assumption do you have to make in (a) to (c) to obtain a valid answer?
CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM: ( ) 1 0, ~
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EXCEL: =NORMDIST(x, , , true) 0.5
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