Normal Probability

Distributions
§ 5.1
Introduction to
Normal Distributions
and the Standard
Distribution
Properties of Normal Distributions
A continuous random variable has an infinite number of
possible values that can be represented by an interval on
the number line.

Hours spent studying in a day

0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24

The time spent

studying can be any
number between 0
and 24.

The probability distribution of a continuous random

variable is called a continuous probability distribution.

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Properties of Normal Distributions
The most important probability distribution in
statistics is the normal distribution.

Normal curve

A normal distribution is a continuous probability

distribution for a random variable, x. The graph of a
normal distribution is called the normal curve.

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Properties of Normal Distributions
Properties of a Normal Distribution
1. The mean, median, and mode are equal.
2. The normal curve is bell-shaped and symmetric about
the mean.
3. The total area under the curve is equal to one.
4. The normal curve approaches, but never touches the x-
axis as it extends farther and farther away from the
mean.
5. 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.
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Properties of Normal Distributions

Inflection points

Total area = 1

x
μ  3σ μ  2σ μσ μ μ+σ μ + 2σ μ + 3σ

If x is a continuous random variable having a normal

distribution with mean μ and standard deviation σ, you
can graph a normal curve with the equation
1
y= e -(x - μ )2 2σ 2
. e = 2.178 π = 3.14
σ 2π
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Means and Standard Deviations
A normal distribution can have any mean and
any positive standard deviation.
Inflection
The mean gives points
Inflection the location of
points the line of
symmetry.
x x
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Mean: μ = 3.5 Mean: μ = 6

Standard Standard
deviation: σ  1.3 deviation: σ  1.9

The standard deviation describes the spread of the data.

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Means and Standard Deviations
Example:
1. Which curve has the greater mean?
2. Which curve has the greater standard deviation?

B
A

x
1 3 5 7 9 11 13

The line of symmetry of curve A occurs at x = 5. The line of symmetry

of curve B occurs at x = 9. Curve B has the greater mean.

Curve B is more spread out than curve A, so curve B has the greater
standard deviation.

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 Interpreting Graphs
Example:
The heights of fully grown magnolia bushes are normally
distributed. The curve represents the distribution. What
is the mean height of a fully grown magnolia bush?
Estimate the standard deviation.
The inflection points are one
standard deviation away from the
μ=8 mean. σ  0.7

x
6 7 8 9 10
Height (in feet)

The heights of the magnolia bushes are normally

distributed with a mean height of about 8 feet and a
standard deviation of about 0.7 feet.

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The Standard Normal Distribution
The standard normal distribution is a normal distribution
with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.

The horizontal scale

corresponds to z-scores.

z
3 2 1 0 1 2 3

Any value can be transformed into a z-score by using the

formula z = Value - Mean
=
x -μ.
Standard deviation σ
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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.
The area that falls in the interval under
the nonstandard normal curve (the x-
values) is the same as the area under
the standard normal curve (within the
corresponding z-boundaries).

z
3 2 1 0 1 2 3

After the formula is used to transform an x-value into a

z-score, the Standard Normal Table in Appendix B is
used to find the cumulative area under the curve.
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 The Standard Normal Table
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.
3. The cumulative area for z = 0 is 0.5000.
4. The cumulative area is close to 1 for z-scores close to z = 3.49

Area is close to 0. Area is close to 1.

z
3 2 1 0 1 2 3
z = 3.49 z = 3.49
z=0
Area is 0.5000.

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 The Standard Normal Table
Example:
Find the cumulative area that corresponds to a z-score
of 2.71.
Appendix B: Standard Normal Table
z .00 .01 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09

0.0 .5000 .5040 .5080 .5120 .5160 .5199 .5239 .5279 .5319 .5359

0.1 .5398 .5438 .5478 .5517 .5557 .5596 .5636 .5675 .5714 .5753

0.2 .5793 .5832 .5871 .5910 .5948 .5987 .6026 .6064 .6103 .6141

2.6 .9953 .9955 .9956 .9957 .9959 .9960 .9961 .9962 .9963 .9964

2.7 .9965 .9966 .9967 .9968 .9969 .9970 .9971 .9972 .9973 .9974

2.8 .9974 .9975 .9976 .9977 .9977 .9978 .9979 .9979 .9980 .9981

Find the area by finding 2.7 in the left hand column, and
then moving across the row to the column under 0.01.
The area to the left of z = 2.71 is 0.9966.
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 The Standard Normal Table
Example:
Find the cumulative area that corresponds to a z-score
of 0.25.
Appendix B: Standard Normal Table
z .09 .08 .07 .06 .05 .04 .03 .02 .01 .00

3.4 .0002 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003 .0003

3.3 .0003 .0004 .0004 .0004 .0004 .0004 .0004 .0005 .0005 .0005

0.3 .3483 .3520 .3557 .3594 .3632 .3669 .3707 .3745 .3783 .3821

0.2 .3859 .3897 .3936 .3974 .4013 .4052 .4090 .4129 .4168 .4207

0.1 .4247 .4286 .4325 .4364 .4404 .4443 .4483 .4522 .4562 .4602
0.0 .4641 .4681 .4724 .4761 .4801 .4840 .4880 .4920 .4960 .5000

Find the area by finding 0.2 in the left hand column, and
then moving across the row to the column under 0.05.
The area to the left of z = 0.25 is 0.4013
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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
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.

z
0 1.23
1. Use the table to find
the area for the z-score.

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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
Finding Areas Under the Standard Normal Curve
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 to

left of z = 1.23 is the right of z = 1.23:
0.8907. 1  0.8907 = 0.1093.

z
0 1.23
1. Use the table to find
the area for the z-score.

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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
Finding Areas Under the Standard Normal Curve
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:
0.8907  0.2266 = 0.6641.
3. The area to the left
of z = 0.75 is
0.2266.

z
0.75 0 1.23

1. Use the table to find the area for

the z-score.

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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
Example:
Find the area under the standard normal
curve to the left of z = 2.33.

Always draw
the curve!

2.33 0

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is

equal to 0.0099.
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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
Example:
Find the area under the standard normal
curve to the right of z = 0.94.
Always draw
the curve!
0.8264
1  0.8264 = 0.1736

z
0 0.94

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

0.1736.

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 Guidelines for Finding Areas
Example:
Find the area under the standard normal
curve between z = 1.98 and z = 1.07.
Always draw
0.8577 the curve!

0.0239 0.8577  0.0239 = 0.8338

z
1.98 0 1.07

From the Standard Normal Table, the area is equal to

0.8338.
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§ 5.2

Normal Distributions:
Finding Probabilities
Probability and Normal Distributions
If a random variable, x, is normally distributed,
you can find the probability that x will fall in a
given interval by calculating the area under the
normal curve for that interval.

μ = 10
P(x < 15) σ=5

x
μ =10 15

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Probability and Normal Distributions
Normal Distribution Standard Normal Distribution
μ = 10 μ=0
σ=5 σ=1

P(x < 15) P(z < 1)

x z
μ =10 15 μ =0 1

Same area

P(x < 15) = P(z < 1) = Shaded area under the curve
= 0.8413
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Probability and Normal Distributions
Example:
The average on a statistics test was 78 with a standard
deviation of 8. If the test scores are normally distributed,
find the probability that a student receives a test score
less than 90.
μ = 78
σ=8 z  x - μ = 90 -78
σ 8
= 1.5
P(x < 90)

The probability that a

x student receives a test
μ =78 90 score less than 90 is
z
μ =0 ?
0.9332.
1.5

P(x < 90) = P(z < 1.5) = 0.9332

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Probability and Normal Distributions
Example:
The average on a statistics test was 78 with a standard
deviation of 8. If the test scores are normally distributed,
find the probability that a student receives a test score
greater than than 85.
μ = 78 z = x - μ = 85 -78
σ 8
σ=8
= 0.875  0.88
P(x > 85)
The probability that a
x student receives a test
μ =78 85 score greater than 85 is
z
μ =0 0.88
?
0.1894.

P(x > 85) = P(z > 0.88) = 1  P(z < 0.88) = 1  0.8106 = 0.1894

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Probability and Normal Distributions
Example:
The average on a statistics test was 78 with a standard
deviation of 8. If the test scores are normally distributed,
find the probability that a student receives a test score
between 60 and 80. z = x - μ = 60 - 78 = -2.25
1
σ 8
P(60 < x < 80) z 2  x - μ = 80 - 78 = 0.25
μ = 78
σ 8
σ=8
The probability that a
x student receives a test
60 μ =78 80 score between 60 and 80
z
2.25
? μ =0 0.25
?
is 0.5865.

P(60 < x < 80) = P(2.25 < z < 0.25) = P(z < 0.25)  P(z < 2.25)
= 0.5987  0.0122 = 0.5865
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 § 5.4

Sampling Distributions
and the Central Limit
Theorem
 SAMPLING

In statistics, quality assurance,

and survey methodology, sampling is
concerned with the selection of a
subset of individuals from within a
statistical population to estimate
characteristics of the whole
population.

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 Sampling Distributions
A sampling distribution is the probability distribution of a
sample statistic that is formed when samples of size n are
repeatedly taken from a population.

Sample Sample
Sample Sample
Sample
Sample
Sample
Sample
Population Sample
Sample

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 Parameter VS. Statistic

A statistic is a numerical
characteristic of a sample that can be
used as an estimate of the
corresponding parameter, the
numerical characteristic of the
population from which the sample was
drawn

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 SAMPLING

Probability Sampling: Sample has a

known probability of being selected
Non-probability Sampling: Sample
does not have known probability of
being selected as in convenience or
voluntary response surveys

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 PROBABILITY SAMPLING

Probability Sampling: Sample has a

known probability of being selected
Non-probability Sampling: Sample
does not have known probability of
being selected as in convenience or
voluntary response surveys

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 RANDOM SAMPLE

DEFINITION: A simple random

sample is a sample of size n drawn
from a population of size N in such a
way that every possible sample of
size n has the same chance of being
selected.

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 RANDOM SAMPLING
ASSUMPTIONS FOR SIMPLE RANDOM
SAMPLING
Simple random sampling is one form of the general
set of sampling procedures referred to as probability
sampling. Probability sampling procedures must meet
4 criteria (Chochran, 1977:9):
1. We can define the set of distinct samples which the
procedure is capable of selecting.
2. Each possible sample has assigned to it a known
probability of selection.

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 RANDOM SAMPLING

3. We select one of the samples by a

random process in which each sample
receives its appropriate probability of being
selected.
4. The method for computing the estimate
must lead to a unique estimate for any
specific sample.

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 Sampling Distributions
If the sample statistic is the sample mean, then the
distribution is the sampling distribution of sample means.

Sample 3
Sample 1 x3 Sample 2 Sample 6
Sample 4
x4 x1 Sample 5
x6
x5 x2

The sampling distribution consists of the values of the

sample means, x1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 .

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Properties of Sampling Distributions
Properties of Sampling Distributions of Sample Means
1. The mean of the sample means, μx , is equal to the population
mean.
μx = μ

2. The standard deviation of the sample means,σ x , is equal to the

population standard deviation, σ , divided by the square root of n.
σ
σx =
n
The standard deviation of the sampling distribution of the sample
means is called the standard error of the mean.

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 The Central Limit Theorem
If a sample of size n  30 is taken from a population with
any type of distribution that has a mean =  and standard
deviation = ,

x x
 
the sample means will have a normal distribution.
xx
x x
x x x
x x x x x x

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 The Central Limit Theorem
If the population itself is normally distributed, with
mean =  and standard deviation = ,

x

the sample means will have a normal distribution for
any sample size n.
xx
x x
x x x
x x x x x x

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 The Central Limit Theorem
In either case, the sampling distribution of sample means
has a mean equal to the population mean.

μx  μ Mean of the
sample means

The sampling distribution of sample means has a standard

deviation equal to the population standard deviation
divided by the square root of n.

σx  σ Standard deviation of the

sample means
n
This is also called the
standard error of the mean.
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 The Mean and Standard Error
Example:
The heights of fully grown magnolia bushes have a mean
height of 8 feet and a standard deviation of 0.7 feet. 38
bushes are randomly selected from the population, and
the mean of each sample is determined. Find the mean
and standard error of the mean of the sampling
distribution.
Standard deviation
Mean (standard error)
μx  μ σ
σx 
n
=8
0.7
= = 0.11
38
Continued.
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Interpreting the Central Limit Theorem
Example continued:
The heights of fully grown magnolia bushes have a
mean height of 8 feet and a standard deviation of 0.7
feet. 38 bushes are randomly selected from the
population, and the mean of each sample is determined.

The mean of the sampling distribution is 8 feet ,and the

standard error of the sampling distribution is 0.11 feet.

From the Central Limit Theorem,

because the sample size is greater
than 30, the sampling distribution x

can be approximated by the 7.6 8 8.4

normal distribution. μx = 8 σ x = 0.11

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 Finding Probabilities
Example:
The heights of fully grown magnolia bushes have a
mean height of 8 feet and a standard deviation of 0.7
feet. 38 bushes are randomly selected from the
population, and the mean of each sample is determined.

The mean of the sampling distribution

is 8 feet, and the standard error of μx = 8 n = 38
the sampling distribution is 0.11 feet. σ x = 0.11

Find the probability that the

x
mean height of the 38 bushes is
7.6 8 8.4
less than 7.8 feet. 7.8
Continued.
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 Finding Probabilities
Example continued:
Find the probability that the mean height of the 38
bushes is less than 7.8 feet.
μx = 8 n = 38
σ x = 0.11
x  μx
z
P ( x < 7.8) σx
x
7.6 8 8.4 7.8  8
=
7.8
z
0.11
0 = 1.82
P ( x < 7.8) = P (z < 1.82
____
? ) = 0.0344
The probability that the mean height of the 38 bushes is
less than 7.8 feet is 0.0344.
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Probability and Normal Distributions
Example:
The average on a statistics test was 78 with a standard
deviation of 8. If the test scores are normally distributed,
find the probability that the mean score of 25 randomly
selected students is between 75 and 79.
μx = 78 x  μx 75  78
z1 = = = 1.88
σx 1.6
σ x = σ = 8 = 1.6
n 25

z 2 = x  μ = 79  78 = 0.63
P (75 < x < 79) σ 1.6

x
75 78 79
z
1.88
? 0 0.63
? Continued.
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Probability and Normal Distributions
Example continued:

P (75 < x < 79)

x
75 78 79
z
1.88
? 0 0.63
?

P(75 < x < 79) = P(1.88 < z < 0.63) = P(z < 0.63)  P(z < 1.88)
= 0.7357  0.0301 = 0.7056

Approximately 70.56% of the 25 students will have a mean

score between 75 and 79.
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