S1 Normal Distribution Exam Questions

f = Z-table forwards, b = Z-table backwards, mms = missing mean or standard dev,

cp = conditional probability, h = other harder question

[May 2013 Q6] [mms, f, h]

1. The weight, in grams, of beans in a tin is normally distributed with mean  and standard
deviation 7.8.

Given that 10% of tins contain less than 200 g, find

(a) the value of , (3)
(b) the percentage of tins that contain more than 225 g of beans. (3)

The machine settings are adjusted so that the weight, in grams, of beans in a tin is normally
distributed with mean 205 and standard deviation .
(c) Given that 98% of tins contain between 200 g and 210 g find the value of . (4)

[May 2013(R) Q4] [f, mms, cp]

2. The time, in minutes, taken to fly from London to Malaga has a normal distribution with
mean 150 minutes and standard deviation 10 minutes.

(a) Find the probability that the next flight from London to Malaga takes less than 145
minutes.
(3)

The time taken to fly from London to Berlin has a normal distribution with mean 100 minutes
and standard deviation d minutes.

Given that 15% of the flights from London to Berlin take longer than 115 minutes,

(b) find the value of the standard deviation d. (4)

The time, X minutes, taken to fly from London to another city has a normal distribution with
mean μ minutes.

Given that P(X < μ – 15) = 0.35

(c) find P(X > μ + 15 | X > μ – 15). (3)

[Jan 2013 Q4] [f, b, cp]

3. The length of time, L hours, that a phone will work before it needs charging is normally
distributed with a mean of 100 hours and a standard deviation of 15 hours.

(a) Find P(L > 127).

(3)
(b) Find the value of d such that P(L < d) = 0.10.
(3)

Alice is about to go on a 6 hour journey. Given that it is 127 hours since Alice last charged
her phone,

(c) find the probability that her phone will not need charging before her journey is
completed.
(4)
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[May 2012 Q6] [f, b, mms]
4. The heights of an adult female population are normally distributed with mean 162 cm and
standard deviation 7.5 cm.

(a) Find the probability that a randomly chosen adult female is taller than 150 cm. (3)

Sarah is a young girl. She visits her doctor and is told that she is at the 60th percentile for
height.
(b) Assuming that Sarah remains at the 60th percentile, estimate her height as an adult. (3)

The heights of an adult male population are normally distributed with standard deviation 9.0
cm.
Given that 90% of adult males are taller than the mean height of adult females,
(c) find the mean height of an adult male. (4)

[Jan 2012 Q7] [f, b, h]

5. A manufacturer fills jars with coffee. The weight of coffee, W grams, in a jar can be modelled
by a normal distribution with mean 232 grams and standard deviation 5 grams.

(a) Find P(W < 224). (3)

(b) Find the value of w such that P(232 < W < w) = 0.20. (4)

Two jars of coffee are selected at random.

(c) Find the probability that only one of the jars contains between 232 grams and w grams of
coffee. (3)

[May 2011 Q4] [f, b]

6. Past records show that the times, in seconds, taken to run 100 m by children at a school can
be modelled by a normal distribution with a mean of 16.12 and a standard deviation of 1.60.

A child from the school is selected at random.

(a) Find the probability that this child runs 100 m in less than 15 s. (3)

On sports day the school awards certificates to the fastest 30% of the children in the 100 m
race.
(b) Estimate, to 2 decimal places, the slowest time taken to run 100 m for which a child will
be awarded a certificate. (4)

[Jan 2011 Q8] [f, b, mms]

7. The weight, X grams, of soup put in a tin by machine A is normally distributed with a mean
of 160 g and a standard deviation of 5 g.
A tin is selected at random.
(a) Find the probability that this tin contains more than 168 g. (3)

The weight stated on the tin is w grams.

(b) Find w such that P(X < w) = 0.01. (3)

The weight, Y grams, of soup put into a carton by machine B is normally distributed with
mean   grams and standard deviation  grams.
(c) Given that P(Y < 160) = 0.99 and P(Y > 152) = 0.90, find the value of  and the value of
. (6)
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[May 2010 Q7] [f, b]
8. The distances travelled to work, D km, by the employees at a large company are normally
distributed with D  N( 30, 82 ).

(a) Find the probability that a randomly selected employee has a journey to work of more
than 20 km.
(3)
(b) Find the upper quartile, Q3, of D.
(3)
(c) Write down the lower quartile, Q1, of D.
(1)

An outlier is defined as any value of D such that D < h or D > k where

h = Q1 − 1.5 × (Q3 − Q1) and k = Q3 + 1.5 × (Q3 − Q1).

(d) Find the value of h and the value of k. (2)

An employee is selected at random.

(e) Find the probability that the distance travelled to work by this employee is an outlier. (3)

[Jan 2010 Q7] [mms, f]

9. The heights of a population of women are normally distributed with mean  cm and standard
deviation  cm. It is known that 30% of the women are taller than 172 cm and 5% are shorter
than 154 cm.

(a) Sketch a diagram to show the distribution of heights represented by this information. (3)
(b) Show that  = 154 + 1.6449. (3)
(c) Obtain a second equation and hence find the value of  and the value of . (4)

A woman is chosen at random from the population.

(d) Find the probability that she is taller than 160 cm. (3)

[May 2009 Q8] [f, mms]

10. The lifetimes of bulbs used in a lamp are normally distributed.

A company X sells bulbs with a mean lifetime of 850 hours and a standard deviation of 50
hours.
(a) Find the probability of a bulb, from company X, having a lifetime of less than 830 hours.
(3)
(b) In a box of 500 bulbs, from company X, find the expected number having a lifetime of
less than 830 hours.
(2)

A rival company Y sells bulbs with a mean lifetime of 860 hours and 20% of these bulbs have
a lifetime of less than 818 hours.
(c) Find the standard deviation of the lifetimes of bulbs from company Y. (4)

Both companies sell the bulbs for the same price.

(d) State which company you would recommend. Give reasons for your answer. (2)

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[Jan 2009 Q6] [f, b]
11. The random variable X has a normal distribution with mean 30 and standard deviation 5.
(a) Find P(X < 39). (2)
(b) Find the value of d such that P(X < d) = 0.1151. (4)
(c) Find the value of e such that P(X > e) = 0.1151. (2)
(d) Find P(d < X < e). (2)

[May 2008 Q7] [f, b, h] 12. A packing plant fills bags with cement. The weight X kg of a bag of
cement can be modelled by a normal distribution with mean 50 kg and standard deviation 2
kg.
(a) Find P(X > 53). (3)
(b) Find the weight that is exceeded by 99% of the bags. (5)
Three bags are selected at random.
(c) Find the probability that two weigh more than 53 kg and one weighs less than 53 kg. (4)

[Jan 2008 Q6] [f, mms] [Link] weights of bags of popcorn are normally distributed with mean of
200 g and 60% of all bags weighing between 190 g and 210 g.
(a) Write down the median weight of the bags of popcorn. (1)
(b) Find the standard deviation of the weights of the bags of popcorn. (5)
A shopkeeper finds that customers will complain if their bag of popcorn weighs less than
180 g.
(c) Find the probability that a customer will complain. (3)

[June 2007 Q6] [f, h] 14. The random variable X has a normal distribution with mean 20 and
standard deviation 4.
(a) Find P(X > 25). (3)
(b) Find the value of d such that P(20 < X < d) = 0.4641. (4)

[Jan 2007 Q7] [f, h] 15. The measure of intelligence, IQ, of a group of students is assumed to
be Normally distributed with mean 100 and standard deviation 15.
(a) Find the probability that a student selected at random has an IQ less than 91. (4)
The probability that a randomly selected student as an IQ of at least 100 + k is 0.2090.
(b) Find, to the nearest integer, the value of k. (6)

[May 2006 Q5] [mms, f] 16. From experience a high jumper knows that he can clear a
height of at least 1.78 m once in 5 attempts. He also knows that he can clear a height of at
least 1.65 m on 7 out of 10 attempts.

Assuming that the heights the high jumper can reach follow a Normal distribution,
(a) draw a sketch to illustrate the above information, (3)
(b) find, to 3 decimal places, the mean and the standard deviation of the heights the high
jumper can reach, (6)
(c) calculate the probability that he can jump at least 1.74 m. (3)

[Jan 2006 Q7] [f, h] 17. The heights of a group of athletes are modelled by a normal
distribution with mean 180 cm and a standard deviation 5.2 cm. The weights of this group of
athletes are modelled by a normal distribution with mean 85 kg and standard deviation 7.1
kg.

Find the probability that a randomly chosen athlete

(a) is taller than 188 cm, (3)

(b) weighs less than 97 kg. (2)

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(c) Assuming that for these athletes height and weight are independent, find the probability
that a randomly chosen athlete is taller than 188 cm and weighs more than 97 kg. (3)
(d) Comment on the assumption that height and weight are independent. (1)

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Solutions
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