BIOE211
NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
- Normal distribution is a distribution that is symmetric
about the mean.
-red is wider than blue, like wise in yellow and red the
Characteristics of a Normal Distribution yellow is wider.
1. bell shaped and symmetric about the mean
2. mean = median = mode 6. 1 SD covers 68.25% of the distribution
3. total area under the curve is 1 or 100% 2 SD covers 95.50% of the distribution.
4. has long tapering tails that extend infinitely in either 3 SD covers 99.75% of the distribution.
direction but never touching the x-axis
5. completely determined by two parameters, its mean
(µ) and standard deviation ( )
– mean (µ) determines the distribution location
– standard deviation ( ) determines the spread of
the distribution
- increases, the distribution becomes wider
- decreases, the distribution becomes thinner
Importance of the Normal Distribution
1. useful for explaining many biological phenomena
– even if the distribution of the variable is not normal,
can easily transform using log, square root or other
transformation to make it approximate the normal
distribution.
2. plays an important role in statistical inference because
– many statistical tests assume normality of the
distribution
– the other important distributions (binomial, t-
distribution, can be approximated by the normal esp.
when the sample size is large enough
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– the sampling distribution of the mean is
approximately normal if the sample size is large enough
(central limit theorem).
The Standard Normal Distribution
• has mean =0 and SD =1
• the capital Z is traditionally used to represent the
standard normal random variable
• small letter z us used to represent a particular
value of Z
• any value x from the normal distribution can be
transformed into a standard normal value of z
using the formula:
• areas under the standard normal ate tabulated
Solving the normal distribution
Steps:
• compute for the equivalent z value of the given x value
• sketch the graph
• get the area from the standard normal table
Examples:
1) What is the probability of getting a standard
normal value greater than 0.93?
Formula for probability:
Area x 100 = probability (%)
Given:
Z score = 0.93 → area = 0.1762
z-value-->
= Area
Normal table
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Note:
-Mean = location
-Standard deviation = spread
– solution:
Interpretation: 1. find the equivalent z value of x= 140
The probability of getting a standard normal value
greater than 0.93 is 17.62%
Equivalently, look for P (z>2)
2) What is the probability of getting a standard
normal value less than or equal to -1.56? 2. Sketch the graph.
Note: we are looking for probability only not area that’s
why it is not positive or negative.
Given:
Z = -1.56 → area = 0.0594
Probability = 0.0594 x 100
= 5.94% 3. Find the area from the table corresponding to z.
Interpretation: Area= 0.0228 x 100
The probability of getting the standard normal value is = 2.28%
less than or equal to -1.56 is 5.94 %
ANSWER:
Interpretation: the proportion of adult men with SBP of
Solving the normal distribution more than 140 mmHg is 2.28%
• The systolic blood pressure of adult men is normally
distributed with a mean, = 110 mmHg and standard
Solving the normal distribution
deviation, = 15 mmHg. What is the proportion of adult
men with SBP of more than 140 mmHg? • Using the same distribution as the previous example,
how many percent of adult men have SBP between 90
Given: and 125 mmHg?
X value= 140mmHg
= 110mmHg – solution:
= 15mmHg 1. find the equivalent z for P (90 < x <125).
Equivalently, look for P (-1.33< z <1)
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2. Sketch the graph. What is the 1st quartile of the SBP of adult men?
– solution:
1. find the z value corresponding to the given area.
2. Find the equivalent x value using the formula
Answer:
Solution:
-0.67 = z value → → 99.95mmHg = x
3. Find the area from the table corresponding to z= -1.33
and z= 1.
Solution:
Z = -1.33 → 0.0918
Z = 1 → 0.1587
0.0918 + 0.1587 = 0.2505 Interpretation:
25% of adult men have SBP level of less than or equal to
Interpretation: 99.95mmHg.
This, 25.05% of adult men have SBP level of between
90 and 125mmHg.
Or
Exercise:
Of the total of 1 only 0.2505 in the normal distribution is The systolic blood pressure of adult men is normally
estimated to have SBP level between 90 and 125mmHg. distributed with a mean, = 110 mmHg and standard
deviation, = 15 mmHg. Find 75% or 3rd quartile.
Solving the normal distribution
• The systolic blood pressure of adult men is normally
distributed with a mean, = 110 mmHg and standard
deviation, = 15 mmHg. What is the proportion of adult
men with SBP of more than 140 mmHg?
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0.67 = z value → → 120.05 = x
(0.67) (15) + 110 = 120.05
Note:
-If the thing you are finding is above 0.50 (50%) subtract
it to 0.5 which you can use the normal distribution table
for finding the area. The only difference is the data
above 0.5 is positive while below is negative.
Interpretation:
75% of adult men have SBP level of less than or equal to
120.05 mmHg.
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