Chapter 6

NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

6.1 The Normal Distribution

6.1.1 Properties of a Normal Curve
6.1.2 Areas under the Normal Curve

6.2 Application of a Normal Curve

6.3 Exercise
 NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

The field of statistics helps us draw inferences or generalizations about populations

based on the observations obtained from random samples, or samples in which the
characteristics and relationship of interest are independent of the probabilities of being included
in the sample.

The necessity of a good research design cannot be over emphasized. Unless

precautions are taken to ensure that the sample is from the population of interest and that the
cases are chosen without bias, the results obtained from statistical analyses may be misleading.
For example, if the sample for a certain study composed of students from private schools only,
conclusions about all the students might be unwarranted.

Since hypotheses about population are often of interest, the sampling distribution of the
mean is particularly important. If samples are from a normal population, the sampling
distribution of a sample mean is also normal.

6.1 The Normal Distribution

Normal distribution is one of the most continuous probability distributions in the field of
statistics. It is also known as Gaussian distribution, named after Karl Friedrich Gauss (1977-
1855) who derived its equation. The graph is called normal curve, also known as bell-shaped
curve.

µ x

Figure 1

The Normal Curve

The value of µ is the number on the measurement axis lying directly below the top of the
bell. The value of σ can also be ascertained from Figure 2 with the mean value of 30 (µ = 30)
and standard deviation of 5 (σ = 5).
 5
10
15
x
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Figure 2

6.1.1 Properties of a Normal Curve

Like any other probability distribution, a normal distribution which has a bell-shaped
figure has the following properties:

1. A probability distribution is said to be normal if the mean, median and mode

coincide at a single point.
2. The mean µ coincides with a line that divides normal curve into parts. It is
symmetrical about the mean because the left half of the curve is just equal to the
right half.
3. The right and the left tails are asymptomatic with respect to the horizontal line.
4. The total area under the normal curve is equal to 1.

6.1.2 Areas Under the Normal Curve

When x has a normal distribution with specified values of µ and σ, the probability that an
observed x value falls in some interval is the area under the normal curve and above that
interval.

In finding the area under the normal curve, convert first the normal curve of any given
variable into a standardized normal curve by means of the formula:

x–u
Z =
S

Where z = standard score

µ = mean
s = standard deviation
x = a given value of a particular variable

In this conversion, Z tells us how many standard deviations the corresponding x – value
lies above or below mean. Figures 3 & 4 illustrate the conversion of a normal curve to a
standardized normal curve with mean µ = σ and s = 1.
 X Z
µ-45 µ-35 µ-25 µ-5 µ µ+5 µ+25 µ+35 µ+45 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Figure 3 Figure 4
The Normal Curve Standardized
Normal Curve
Let us discuss how to use the table of areas under the standard curve (Appendix A). The
table for a normal curve was developed to avoid the use of integral calculus in determining the
area under the curve between any two ordinates. The table gives only the area of the right half
of the normal curve. Since the curve is symmetric, the area of the left half is just equal to the
right half. Also, it is interesting to note that they are of the right half is .50 and has a total of 1.0
for the whole curve as one of the properties of a normal distribution.

Figure 4
The column heading of the table is the second decimal place in z (.00 to .09), while the leftmost
column has values of z from .0 to 5.0

Z .00 .01 .09

.0
.1 .0398
.2 .0832

5.0

Example 1: Find the area under the normal curve if Z = 1.95

Solution: The area of Z = 1.95 under the normal curve is just equal to the area from
Z=0 to Z = 1.95.
P (Z = 1.95)
= .4744

From that table of the area under the standard normal curve, locate the first two digits of
the z value at the leftmost column, while the last digit is just the column heading. The
intersection of 1.9 and .05 is .4744 which is the area of the shaded region in the above diagram
Example 2. Find the are under the normal curve if

Z = - 2.23 to Z = 0.
Solution:
The problem can be expressed as the probability that Z is from 0 to – 2.23.

Note that in the table, we don’t have areas to the left half of the normal curve. But with
the use of the property of symmetry, we can determine the required area.

z .00 .00 .02 .03

.1

2.0
2.2 .
4871

They are of Z from 0 to 2.23 is .4871. That value is exactly the are of the probability that
Z is from 0 to -2.23

Notice from our previous examples, we can easily get the area of the two values of Z
when one is zero. Always remember that they are found in the table is the are from Z = 0 to any
given value of Z.

To solve for the other types of problems involving areas under the normal curve, let us
consider the following problems.
Example 3: Find the area under the curve between 1.2 and 3.4.

Solution:
This problem can be restated as the P (1.2 ≤ Z ≤ 3.4).
Let us graph to have a clear view of the area.

By referring to the table

P (Z = 3.4) = .4997 - area from Z = 0 to Z = 3.4
-
P (Z = 1.2) = .3849 - area from Z = 0 to Z = 1.2

.1148 - area of the curve between 1.2 and 3.4

Thus, the area under the curve between 1.2 and 3.4 is the difference between the two
areas.

Example 4. Find the area to the left of Z = - 1.53

Solution:
 The required are can be obtained by subtracting the half area of the curve. From the
previous discussion, the area of the left half is equal to .50.

Therefore, the area of the curve to the left of Z = - 1.53 is

.5000
- .4370
.0630

Another type of problem that we can encounter under the areas of the normal curve is
the finding of Z score when the area is given.

Example 5: Find the Z score when the area from Z = 0 to -Z is .1415.

Solution:

In the table, what you have to do is look at the inner portion of the table (opposite
manner of reading the area in the previous examples). The ordinates are exactly the values of
the required Z scores.
 z .00 .01 .06 .09

.0

1.5

1.6 .4515

Therefore, Z = 1.66.

Example 6. Find the Z score when the area to the right of +Z is .2090.
Solution:

Recall that the area given in the table is the are from Z = O to any value of Z. In this problem,
we have to subtract the shaded area from the area of the right half of the carve.

.5000
-.2090

.2910 -This is the area of Z from O to the

unknown value of z.
From the table,

Area = .2910 z = .81

6.2 Application of a Normal Curve

Example 1.The gestation period X in humane has a distribution that is approximately normal
with a
mean of 266 days and a standard deviation of 16 days. What percent of all births are
at
least 300 days after conception?

Solution:
µ = 266
s = 16
x = 300

x-µ 300 – 266

Z = = = 2.12
S 16

The question what percent of all births are at least 300 days after conception can be
answered by finding P (Z = 2.12).

P (z ≥ .2.12) = .5 - 4830
= .0170
= 1.7%
Example 2:

At a reforestation project, trunk diameters of a certain specie of a tree are normally

distributed with a mean of 6 inches and a standard deviation of ½ inch. What percent of such
trees should have trunk diameters between 5 ¼ and 6 ¾ inches?

Solution:
5.25 – 6 -.75
Z = = = - 1.5
.5 .5

6.75 – 6 .75
Z = = = 1.5
.5 .5

P (-1.5 ≤ Z ≤ 1.5) = P (Z = -1.5) + P (Z = 1.5)

= .4332 + 4332
= .8644
= 86.6%
Another way of solving,
P (-1.5 ≤ Z ≤ 1.5) = 2 P (Z = 15) by Symmetry
= 2 (.4332)
= 86.6%

86.6% of the trees have trunk diameters between 5 ¼ and 6 ¾ inches.

CHAPTER 6
Exercises:

1. Find the Z score of the following areas. Sketch the location of the given areas.
a) area to the right of Z is .0885
b) P (- Z ≤ Z) = .0080
c) P (- Z ≤ Z ≤ + Z) .9010
d) The area to the right of – Z and to the right of 0 is .8386.

3. A group of 200 students are candidates for a scholarship. The committee for scholarship
asked them to take the IQ test. The students are approximately normally distributed with a mean
IQ of 110 and standard deviation of 15. If the committee decided to accept an IQ of at least 95,
how many of these students would be rejected?

4. The heights of 500 students from the college of Nutrition/ Home Economics and Tourism
are normally distributed with a mean height of 5.7 feet and a standard deviation of 1.9 feet. How
many of these NHT students have heights of
a) Less than 5.2 feet
b) More than 5.1 feet but not over 5.5 feet
c) More than 4.9 feet

5. The average rainfall recorded by the PAGASA for the month of June is 4.3 inches assuming
that the recorded rainfall has a normal distribution with standard deviation of 1.3 inches. Find
the probability that next June PAGASA receives.

a) Less than 1.3 inches

b) More than 2.1 inches but not over 3.5 inches

c) More than 4.9 inches