NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

STANDARD NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

GED 102 - MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

AIZELLE KEI D. CAMILON

 Frequency Distributions and Histogram
Large sets of data are often displayed using a grouped frequency
distribution or a histogram.
For example: A Grouped of Frequency Distribution with 12 Classes
Download Time (in sec) Number of Subscribers
1–5 6
6 – 10 7
11 – 15 43
16 – 20 92
21 – 25 151
26 – 30 192
31 – 35 190
36 – 40 149
41 – 45 90
46 – 50 45
51 – 55 15
56 – 60 10
 A Histogram for the Frequency Distribution in the previous slide
200

150

Number of Subscribers

100

50

0
3 8 13 18 23 28 33 38 43 48 53 58
Download time (in seconds)
 Relative Frequency Distribution
Download Time (in sec) Percent of Subscribers
1–5 0.6
6 – 10 1.7
11 – 15 4.3
16 – 20 9.2
21 – 25 15.1
26 – 30 19.2
31 – 35 19.0
36 – 40 14.9
41 – 45 9.0
46 – 50 4.5
51 – 55 1.5
56 – 60 1.0

The type of frequency distribution that lists the percent of data in each class is called a relative frequency
distribution.
 Relative Frequency Histogram
20

15

Percent of subscribers
10

0
3 8 13 18 23 28 33 38 43 48 53 58
Download time (in seconds)

The relative frequency histogram was drawn by using the data in relative frequency distribution. It shows
the percent of subscribers along its vertical axis.
 Relative Frequency Distribution
One advantage of using relative frequency distribution
instead of a grouped frequency distribution is that there
is a direct correspondence between the percent values
of the relative frequency distribution and probabilities.
 Normal Distributions and the Empirical Rule
A normal distribution forms a bell-shaped curve that is symmetric
about a vertical line through the mean of the data.

Properties of a Normal Distribution

Every normal distribution has the following properties:

• The graph is symmetric about a vertical line through the mean of the
distribution.
• The mean, median and mode are equal.
• The y-value of each point on the curve is the percent (expressed as
decimal) of the data at the corresponding x-value.
• Areas under the curve that are symmetric about the mean are equal.
• The total are under the curve is 1.

Question: What is the area under the curve to the right of the mean for a normal distribution?
 Empirical Rule for a Normal Distribution
In a normal distribution, approximately:
• 68% of the data lie within 1 standard deviation of the mean.
• 95% of the data lie within 2 standard deviation of the mean.
• 99.7% of the data lie within 3 standard deviations of the mean.
Example:
A survey of 1000 U.S. gas stations found that the price
charged for a gallon of regular gas could be closely
approximated by a normal distribution with a mean of
$3.10 and a standard deviation of $0.18. How many of the
stations charge
a. between $2.74 and $3.46 for a gallon of regular gas?
b. less than $3.28 for a gallon of regular gas?
Solution:
a. The $2.74 per gallon price is 2 standard deviations below the mean.
The $3.46 price is 2 standard deviation above the mean. In a normal
distribution, 95% of all data lie within 2 standard deviations of the
mean. Therefore approximately 95% 1000 = 950 of the
stations charge between $2.74 and $3.46 for a gallon of regular gas.

b. The $3.28 price is 1 standard deviation above the mean. In a normal

distribution, 34% of all the data lie between the mean and 1 standard
deviation above the mean. Thus, approximately 34% 1000 =
340 of the stations charge between $3.10 and $3.28 for a gallon of
regular gasoline. Half of the 1000 stations, or 500 stations, charge
less than the mean. Therefore about 340 + 500 = 840 of the
stations charge less than $3.28 for a gallon of regular gas.
 The Standard Normal Distribution
It is often helpful to convert data values x to z-scores.
𝑥−𝜇 𝑥−𝑥ҧ
𝑧𝑥 = or 𝑧𝑥 =
𝜎 𝑠

If the original distribution of x values is a normal distribution,

then the corresponding distribution of z-scores will also be a
normal distribution. This normal distribution of z-scores is called
the standard normal distribution.
 The Standard Normal Distribution

The standard normal distribution is the normal distribution that has a mean of 0 and a standard
deviation of 1.

Tables and calculators are often used to determine the area under a portion of the standard normal
curve. We will refer to this type of area as an area of the standard normal distribution. The table on the
next page gives the approximate ccumulative probabilities for POSITIVE z-values.
Example: Find the area of the standard normal distribution to the left of z=1.44.
(Look for the ones and tenths digit in the first column and the hundredths on the first row.)
Answer: 0.9251
Use Symmetry to Determine an Area:
Find the area of the standard normal distribution between 𝑧 = −1.44 and 𝑧 = 0.
(Because the standard normal distribution is symmetrical about the mean of 0, we can also use the table
to find the area of region that is located to the left of the mean.)
Answer: 0.9251 – 0.5000 = 0.4251
(since from the mean (0) to the left of the distribution is 0.5, then we have to subtract it from 0.9251)
 The Standard Normal Distribution, Areas,
Percentages, and Probabilities

In the normal distribution, the area of the distribution from

𝑧 = 𝑎 to 𝑧 = 𝑏 represents:

• The percentage of z-values that lie in the interval from a to

b.

• The probability that z lies in the interval from a to b.

Example:
A soda machine dispenses soda into 12-ounces cups. Tests
shows that the actual amount of soda dispensed is normally
distributed, with a mean of 11.5 oz and a standard deviation of 0.2
oz.
a. What percent of cups will receive less than 11.25 oz of
soda?
b. What percent of cups will receive between 11.2 oz and
11.55 oz of soda?
c. If a cup is filled at random, what is the probability that
the machine will overflow the cup?
Solution:
11.25−11.5
a. The z-score for 11.25 oz is 𝑧11.25 = = −1.25.
0.2
Using the table, it indicates that 0.3944 (39.44%) of the data
is also between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 1.25. The percent of the data to
the left of 𝑧 = −1.25 is 0.5000 − 0.3944 = 0.1056. Thus
10.56% of the cups filled by the soda machine will receive less
than 11.25𝑜𝑧 of soda.
Solution:
11.25−11.5
b. The z-score for 11.55 oz is 𝑧11.55 = = 0.25.
0.2
The data between z=0 and z=0.25 is 0.0987.

11.2−11.5
The z-score for 11.2 oz is 𝑧11.2 = = −1.5.
0.2
The data between z=0 and z=-1.5 is 0.4332.

Thus, the percent of the cups that the vending machine will
fill with between 11.2 oz and 11.55 oz of soda is
0.4332 + 0.0987 = 0.5319 𝑜𝑟 53.13%
Solution:
c. A cup will overflow if it receives more than 12 oz of soda.
12−11.5
The z-score for 12 oz is 𝑧12 = = 2.5.
0.2
The data between 𝑧=0 and 𝑧 = 2.5 is 0.4938.

The percent of the data to the right of 𝑧 =2.5 is

determined by subtracting 0.4938 from 0.5 (half of the
normal distribution). Thus 0.62% of the time the machine
produces an overflow.
Check your progress:
A study shows that the lengths of the careers of professional
football players are nearly normally distributed, with a mean
of 6.1 years and a standard deviation of 1.8 years.
a. What percent of professional football players have a
career of more than 9 years?
b. If a professional football player is chosen at random,
what is the probability that the player will have a career
between 3 and 4 years?