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Normal Distribution Problems

The document contains several word problems involving normal distributions. It provides the mean and standard deviation for different scenarios and asks the reader to calculate probabilities based on converting the data to z-scores. For the first problem, it calculates z-scores to determine the percentage of scores falling within certain ranges to assign letter grades based on a test score distribution. For subsequent problems, it similarly finds z-scores to calculate probabilities such as the chance a light bulb will last a certain number of hours or the probability of a baseball game lasting a specific duration.

Uploaded by

Rushil Shah
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
656 views

Normal Distribution Problems

The document contains several word problems involving normal distributions. It provides the mean and standard deviation for different scenarios and asks the reader to calculate probabilities based on converting the data to z-scores. For the first problem, it calculates z-scores to determine the percentage of scores falling within certain ranges to assign letter grades based on a test score distribution. For subsequent problems, it similarly finds z-scores to calculate probabilities such as the chance a light bulb will last a certain number of hours or the probability of a baseball game lasting a specific duration.

Uploaded by

Rushil Shah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Question: An English professor assigns letter grades on a test according to the

following scheme.
A: Top 7 % of scores
B: Scores below the top 7% and above the bottom 59 %
C. Scores below the top 41 % and above the bottom 18%
D. Scores below the top 82 % and above the bottom 8%
F. Bottom 8% of scores
Scores on the test are normally distributed with a mean of 75.7 and a standard
deviation of 8.8. Find the numerical limits for a C grade. Round your answers to
nearest whole number, if necessary.
Answer:
𝜇 = 75.7, 𝜎 = 8.8
First we convert it to standard normal distribution. And find the corresponding
z-values.
1) A: Top 7% 𝑥1 = 93
𝑥1 − 𝜇 93 − 75.7
𝑧1 = = = 1.9659
𝜎 8.8
𝑃(𝑋 ≥ 93) = 𝑃(𝑧 ≥ 1.9659)
= 1 − 𝐹(1.9659) = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟒𝟕

B: Scores below the top 7% and above the bottom 59 %


𝑥2 − 𝜇 93 − 75.7
𝑧2 = = = 1.9659
𝜎 8.8
𝑥1 − 𝜇 59 − 75.7
𝑧1 = = = −1.8977
𝜎 8.8
𝑃(59 ≤ 𝑋 ≤ 93) = 𝑃(−1.8977 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 1.9659)
= 𝐹(1.9659) − 𝐹(−1.8977) = 0.9754 − 0.0289
= 𝟎. 𝟗𝟒𝟔𝟓
C. Scores below the top 41 % and above the bottom 18%

𝑃(18 ≤ 𝑋 ≤ 41) = 𝑃(−6.5568 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ −3.9432)


= 0.00004 − 0.0 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟒

D. Scores below the top 82 % and above the bottom 8%

𝑃(8 ≤ 𝑋 ≤ 82) = 𝑃(−7.6932 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.7159)


= 0.763 − 0.0 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝟑
F. Bottom 8% of scores

Question: The life of light bulbs is distributed normally. The standard deviation
of the lifetime is 20 hours and the mean life time of a bulb is 570 hours. Find
the probability of a bulb lasting for between 560 and 597 hours. Round your
answer to four decimal place.
Answer:
𝜇 = 570, 𝜎 = 20
First we convert it to standard normal distribution. And find the corresponding
z-values.
𝑥1 − 𝜇 560 − 570
𝑧1 = = = −0.5
𝜎 20
𝑥2 − 𝜇 597 − 570 27
𝑧2 = = = = 1.35
𝜎 20 20
𝑃(560 ≤ 𝑋 ≤ 597) = 𝑃(−0.5 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 1.35)
= 𝐹(1.35) − 𝐹(−0.5) = 0.9115 − 0.3085
= 0.603

Question:
One season, the average little league baseball game averaged 2 hours and 33
minutes (153 minutes) to complete. Assume the length of games follows the
normal distribution with a standard deviation of 16 minutes Complete parts a
through d below

a. What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in


less than 160 minutes?
The probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in less than 160
minutes is ----- (Round to four decimal places as needed)

b. What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in


more than 100 minutes?
The probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in more than
160 minutes is ---- (Round to four decimal places as needed)

c) What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in


exactly 160 minutes?
The probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in exactly 160
minutes is 0435 (Round to four decimal places as needed)
That's incorrect.
Recall the properties of the area under a standard normal curve for a spec value.
Note that the standard normal curve is continuous
OK
Answer
𝜇 = 2 hours and 33 minutes = 153, 𝜎 = 16 minutes
a. What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be
completed in less than 160 minutes?
First we convert normal distribution to standard normal distribution. For this
we find the corresponding z-values.
𝑥1 = 160
𝑥1 − 𝜇 160 − 153
𝑧1 = = = 0.4375
𝜎 16
𝑃(𝑋 < 160) = 𝑃(𝑧 < 0.4375)
= 𝟎. 𝟔𝟔𝟗𝟏

b. What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in


more than 100 minutes?

First we convert it to standard normal distribution. And find the corresponding


z-values.
𝑥2 = 100
𝑥2 − 𝜇 100 − 153
𝑧2 = = = −3.3125
𝜎 16
𝑃(𝑋 > 100) = 𝑃(𝑧 > −3.3125)
= 1 − 𝑃(𝑧 ≤ −3.3125)
= 1 − 0.0005 = 𝟎. 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟓

c) What is the probability that a randomly selected game will be completed in


exactly 160 minutes?
As it is a continuous probability distribution, the probability that a randomly selected
game will be completed in exactly 160 minutes is 0. (probability at a point is 0 for a
continuous distribution)

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