Z-SCORES AND THE STANDARD NORMAL DISTRIBUTIONS
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, students should be able to:
• Define and calculate Z-scores as a measure of
standardizing data.
• Understand the interpretation of Z-scores in terms of a
data point's position relative to the mean.
• Explain the concept of the standard normal distribution
and how Z-scores relate to it.
• Calculate the area under the curve for specific ranges of
Z-scores.
Psychological Statistics and Psychological Assessment
“Raw scores are meaningless.”
that is why we standardized them.
Why is it a bell shaped curve?
No matter what you are measuring (height, IQ, or
exam scores), 1 standard deviation always covers the
same percentage of the bell’s area.
If the data is "normal," we can use the bell shape to
predict exactly how rare a person is just by knowing
their height
The reason we call it "Normal" is because this bell
shape happens so often in nature (weights of
mangoes, sizes of slippers, arm spans) that it became
the "normal" thing to expect in data
The z-score is calculated using this formula:
DOST-FNRI (National Nutrition Survey)
Group Mean Height (μ) Approx. Standard Deviation (σ)
Men 163 cm (5'4") 7 cm
Women 152 cm (5'0") 6 cm
Ms. Jannelle’s height is 157 cm. Based on the provided average and
standard deviation, find the percentage of the population that is
shorter than her.
= 157 – 152
6
=5
6
= 0.83
DOST-FNRI (National Nutrition Survey)
Group Mean Height (μ) Approx. Standard Deviation (σ)
Men 163 cm (5'4") 7 cm
Women 152 cm (5'0") 6 cm
Ms. Jannelle’s height is 157 cm. Based on the provided average and
standard deviation, find the percentage of the population that is
shorter than her.
= 157 – 152
6
=5
6
= 0.83
DOST-FNRI (National Nutrition Survey)
Group Mean Height (μ) Approx. Standard Deviation (σ)
Men 163 cm (5'4") 7 cm
Women 152 cm (5'0") 6 cm
Ms. Jannelle’s height is 157 cm. Based on the provided average and
standard deviation, find the percentage of the population that is
shorter than her.
= 157 – 152
6
=5
6
= 0.83
= 0.7967 = 79.67% Ms. Jannelle is taller than nearly 80% of the group
A Z-score is a translator. It translates a 'meaningless' raw
number into a 'meaningful' position on the bell curve.
DOST-FNRI (National Nutrition Survey)
Group Mean Height (μ) Approx. Standard Deviation (σ)
Men 163 cm (5'4") 7 cm
Women 152 cm (5'0") 6 cm
Activity 1
Find the z-score for the following individuals. Round your answer to two decimal places.
1. Rafael is a college basketball player standing at 191 cm (6'3"). Calculate his z-score.
•Calculation: ____________________
•Z-score: __________
2. Liza is 146 cm tall. Calculate her z-score.
•Calculation: ____________________
•Z-score: __________
3. Andres is exactly 163 cm tall. What is his z-score?
•Z-score: __________
Refer to the distribution curve below to answer the questions.
4. The "UAAP" Scouting Rule: A scout only looks for players with a z-score of +1.5 or higher. How tall must a male player
be to be scouted?
•Step 1: Multiply the z-score by the standard deviation (1.5 x 7).
•Step 2: Add that to the mean (163).
•Answer: __________ cm.
[Link] Percentile Challenge: If Catriona has a z-score of +1.0, approximately what percentage of Filipino women is she
taller than?
•Answer: __________%