Normal Curve Distribution IIIf-2-3 Chapter 2 Lesson 1

Understanding the
Normal Curve
Distribution
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
 Understand the concept of the normal curve distribution;

 State and Illustrate the properties of a normal curve
distribution;
 Sketch the graph of a normal distribution;
 Recognize the importance of the normal curve in
statistical inference.
Normal Probability Distribution
 A normal distribution, sometimes called the bell curve, is a distribution that occurs
naturally in many situations. For example, the bell curve is seen in tests NAT and
NCAE. The bell curve is symmetrical. Half of the data will fall to the left of the
mean; half will fall to the right.
 A continuous probability distribution for a random variable, x.
 The most important continuous probability distribution in statistics.
 The graph of a normal distribution is called the normal curve.
x
Properties of the Normal Probability
Distribution
 The normal curve is bell-shaped
 The curve is symmetric about the mean or its center.
 The mean, median, and mode are equal or coincide at the center.
 The width of the curve is determined by the standard deviation of the distribution.
 The total area under the curve is equal to 1. Thus, it represents probability or proportion or the
percentage associated with specific sets of measurement values.
 The normal curve approaches, but never touches the x-axis as it extends farther and farther away
from the mean.
Total area = 1
x
Properties of the Normal Probability
Distribution
 Between μ – σ and μ + σ (in the center of the curve), the graph curves
downward. The graph curves upward to the left of μ – σ and to the right of
μ + σ. The points at which the curve changes from curving upward to
curving downward are called the INFLECTION POINTS.
Inflection points
x
μ  3σ μ  2σ μσ μ μ+σ μ + 2σ μ + 3σ
Means and Standard Deviations
• A normal distribution can have any mean and any positive standard deviation.
• The mean gives the location of the line of symmetry.
• The standard deviation describes the spread of the data.
μ = 3.5 μ = 3.5 μ = 1.5

σ = 1.5 σ = 0.7 σ = 0.7
6
Example: Understanding Mean and Standard Deviation
1. Which curve has the greater mean?
Solution:
Curve A has the greater mean (The line of symmetry
of curve A occurs at x = 15. The line of symmetry of
curve B occurs at x = 12.)
Example: Understanding Mean and Standard Deviation
2. Which curve has the greater standard deviation?
Solution:
Curve B has the greater standard deviation (Curve
B is more spread out than curve A.)
Example: Interpreting Graphs
The heights of fully grown Narra trees are normally distributed. The curve
represents the distribution. What is the mean height of a fully grown Narra tree?
Estimate the standard deviation.
Solution:
σ = 3.5 (The inflection
μ = 90 (A normal points are one standard
curve is symmetric deviation away from
about the mean) the mean)
The Standard Normal Distribution
Standard normal distribution
 A normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.
Area = 1
z
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
• Any x-value can be transformed into a z-score by
using the formula
Value - Mean x-
z 
Standard deviation 
The Standard Normal Distribution
 If each data value of a normally distributed random variable x is transformed into a
z-score, the result will be the standard normal distribution.
Standard Normal
Normal Distribution Distribution
s x-
z s=1

m x m=0 z
• Use the Standard Normal Table to find the
cumulative area under the standard normal curve.
11
Example: Using The Standard Normal Table
Find the cumulative area that corresponds to a z-score of 1.15.
Solution:
Find 1.1 in the left hand column.
Move across the row to the column under 0.05
The area to the left of z = 1.15 is 0.8749.
Example: Using The Standard Normal Table
Find the cumulative area that corresponds to a z-score of -0.24.
Solution:
Find -0.2 in the left hand column.
Move across the row to the column under 0.04
The area to the left of z = -0.24 is 0.4052.
Finding Areas Under the Standard Normal Curve
1. Sketch the standard normal curve and shade the appropriate area under the curve.
2. Find the area by following the directions for each case shown.
a. To find the area to the left of z, find the area that corresponds to z in the Standard Normal
Table.
2. The area to the left of z

= 1.23 is 0.8907
1. Use the table to find the area

for the z-score
b. To find the area to the right of z, use the Standard Normal Table to find the area that
corresponds to z. Then subtract the area from 1.
2. The area to the 3. Subtract to find the area

left of z = 1.23 to the right of z = 1.23:
is 0.8907. 1  0.8907 =
0.1093.
1. Use the table to find the

area for the z-score.
c. To find the area between two z-scores, find the area corresponding to each z-score in the
Standard Normal Table. Then subtract the smaller area from the larger area.
2. The area to the 4. Subtract to find the area of

left of z = 1.23 the region between the two
is 0.8907. z-scores:
3. The area to the 0.8907  0.2266 = 0.6641.
left of z = 0.75
is 0.2266.
1. Use the table to find the

area for the z-scores.
Example: Finding Area Under the Standard Normal
Curve
Find the area under the standard normal curve to the left of z = -0.99.
Solution:
0.1611
z
0.99 0
From the Standard Normal Table, the area is

equal to 0.1611.
Curve
Find the area under the standard normal curve to the right of z = 1.06.
Solution:
0.8554 1  0.8554 = 0.1446
z
0 1.06
From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

0.1446.
Curve
Find the area under the standard normal curve between z = 1.5 and z = 1.25.
Solution:
0.8944 0.0668 = 0.8276
0.8944
0.0668
z
1.50 0 1.25
From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

0.8276.
Larson/Farber 4th ed 19
Properties of the Standard Normal Distribution
1. The cumulative area is close to 0 for z-scores close to z = 3.49.
2. The cumulative area increases as the z-scores increase.
Area is
close to 0 z
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
z = 3.49
Larson/Farber 4th ed 20

Normal Curve Distribution IIIf-2-3 Chapter 2 Lesson 1

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Understanding the

 Understand the concept of the normal curve distribution;

μ = 3.5 μ = 3.5 μ = 1.5

1. Which curve has the greater mean?

2. Which curve has the greater standard deviation?

2. The area to the left of z

1. Use the table to find the area

2. The area to the 3. Subtract to find the area

1. Use the table to find the

2. The area to the 4. Subtract to find the area of

1. Use the table to find the

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is

0.8554 1  0.8554 = 0.1446

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

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