Lesson 4.

Normal Curve

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In this lesson, you’ll learn to:

✓ illustrate a normal random variable

and its characteristics

✓ identify regions under the normal

curve corresponding to different
standard normal values

✓ convert a normal random variable to a

standard normal variable and vice
Abraham de Moivre, an 18th century statistician and consultant versa
to gamblers, was often called upon to make these lengthy
computations. He noted that when the number of events (coin
flips) increased, the shape of the binomial distribution ✓ compute probabilities and percentiles
approached a very smooth curve. de Moivre reasoned that if he using the standard normal table
could find a mathematical expression for this curve, he would be
able toThe
solve problems
Normal such as finding the probability of 60 or
Distribution
more heads out of 100 coin flips much more easily. This is exactly
what he did, and the curve he discovered is now called the
"normal curve."

The normal distribution is the most important of all probability distributions. Its graph, called the normal
curve, is a bell-shaped curve which possesses the following properties:

1. It is symmetrical.
2. It is unimodal.
3. It is asymptotic to the x- axis.
4. The area between the curve and the x-axis is exactly equal to 1.
5. Half of the area of the normal curve is above the mean and the other half is below the mean.

The normal distribution, also called the Gaussian Distribution, is represented by the formula:

1 (𝑥−𝜇)2
−
𝑝(𝑥) = 𝑒 2𝜎2
𝜎√2𝜋

where: 𝜇 =mean 𝜎 = standard deviation 𝜋 = 3.14159 … 𝑒 = 2.71828 …

There are many normal distributions. A normal distribution is determined by two parameters: the mean 𝜇
and the standard deviation 𝜎. A normal distribution whose 𝜇 = 0 and 𝜎 = 1 is called a standard normal distribution.
Areas under this curve can be found using the Areas Under the Standard Normal Curve table attached in this module.

Statistics & Probability 1

 Standard Normal Distribution with

𝜇 = 0 and 𝜎 = 1

Example 1.
Find the area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 1.54.

Solution:

Step 1. Sketch the normal curve.

Since 1.54 is positive, it is located at the right
of 0.

Step 2. Locate the area for 𝑧 = 1.54 from the Areas Under the Normal Curve table. Proceed down the
column marked 𝑧 until you reach 1.5. Then proceed to the right along this row until you reach the column
marked . 04. The intersection of the row that contains 1.5 and the column marked . 04 is the area. The area
is 0.4382.

Example 2.
Find the area between 𝑧 = 1.52 and 𝑧 = 2.5.

Solution:
Step 1. Sketch the normal curve.

Statistics & Probability 2

 Step 2. Let 𝐴 = area between 𝑧 = 1.52 and 𝑧 = 2.5
𝐴1 = area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 1.52
𝐴2 = area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 2.5

From the table, 𝐴1 = 0.4357 𝐴2 = 0.4938

𝐴 = 𝐴2 − 𝐴1
𝐴 = 0.4938 − 0.4357
𝐴 = 0. 0581

Hence, the area between 𝑧 = 1.52 and 𝑧 = 2.5 is 0. 0581.

Your Turn!
1. Find the area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = −1.65.
2. Find the area between 𝑧 = −1.5 and 𝑧 = −2.5

Example 3.
Find the area to the right of 𝑧 = 1.56.

Solution:
Let 𝐴 = area to the right of 𝑧 = 1.56
𝐴1 = area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 1.56

𝐴1 = 0.4406

𝐴 = 0.5 − 𝐴1 (half of the curve = 0.5)

𝐴 = 0.5 − 0.4406
𝐴 = 0.0594
Hence, the area to the right of 𝑧 = 1.56 is 0.0594

Your Turn!
3. Find the area to the left of 𝑧 = 2.32.
4. Find the area to the left of 𝑧 = −1.52.
5. Find the area to the right of 𝑧 = −1.8.

Example 4.
Find the area between 𝑧 = −1.35 and 𝑧 = 2.95.

Solution:
Let 𝐴 = area between 𝑧 = −1.35 and 𝑧 = 2.95
𝐴1 = area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = −1.35
𝐴2 = area between 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 2.95

𝐴1 = 0.4115 𝐴2 = 0.4984

𝐴 = 𝐴1 + 𝐴2
𝐴 = 0.4115 + 0.4984
𝐴 = 0.9099 Hence, the area between 𝑧 = −1.35 and 𝑧 = 2.95 is 0.9099.

Statistics & Probability 3

Standard Scores

The standard score or 𝑧-score tells how many standard deviation a given value (𝑥) is above or below the
mean. The 𝑧 -scores are helpful when comparing observed values. A positive 𝑧-score means that the observed value
is above the mean and a negative 𝑧-score means the observed value is below the mean.

To find the 𝑧-score, we use the following formulas:

For Sample For Population

𝑥 − 𝑥̅ 𝑥−𝜇
𝑧= 𝑧=
𝑠 𝜎

where: where:

𝑧 = standard score 𝑧 = standard score

𝑥 = raw score or observed value 𝑥 = raw score or observed value
𝑥̅ = sample mean 𝜇 = population mean
𝑠 = sample standard deviation 𝜎 = population standard deviation

Example 5:
Danielle scored 60 on her Biology test. If the mean was 75 and the standard deviation was 12, determine
her standard score, assuming that the scores are normally distributed.

Solution:
𝑥 − 𝑥̅
𝑧=
𝑠

60 − 75
𝑧=
12

𝑧 = −1.25 This indicates that Danielle’s score is 1.25 standard deviations below the mean.

Your Turn!
On the midterm exam in Statistics, the population mean was 70 and the standard deviation was 9. Find the
standard score of a student who scored 88 assuming that the scores are normally distributed.

Statistics & Probability 4

 Name: Score: Muntinlupa National High School
Type C, NBP Reservation, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City

CN: Section: Date: 35 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Passing Statistics and Probability
Subject Teacher: Score:26
The Normal Curve Worksheet No. 4
Direction: Read, understand, solve and write the solution and correct answer on the space provided.
I. Find the area under the normal curve in each of the following cases.

1. To the right of z = 0.3 2. To the right of z = -2.85 3. To the right of z = 0.89

4. To the right of z = -1.54 5. To the right of z = -0.75 6. To the right of z = -0.95

7. To the left of z = 1.85 8. To the left of z = 0.35 9. To the right of z = -1.31

10. To the right of z = 2.35 11. Between z = -1.78 and z = 12. Between z = 1.26 and z = -
1.78 0.26

Statistics & Probability 5

13. Between z = -0.76 and z = 1.35 14. Between z =0.86 and z = 2.35 15. Between z = -2.76 and z = -
1.25

16. Between z = -2.46 and z = 1.55 17. Between z = -1.36 and z = 18. Between z = 1.56 and z = 2.51
2.55

19. Between z = 0 and z = - 1.78 20. Between z = 0 and z = 1.63 21. Between z = 0 and z = 1.37

22. Between the z = 0 and z = - 23. To the right of z = 1.61 24. To the left of z = -2.05
1.18

25. To the left of z = 1.34 26. To the right of z = -0.75 27. Between z = -1.02 and z =
1.96

Statistics & Probability 6

 28. Between z = 0.65 and z = 1.15 29. Between z = -0.53 and z = - 30. Between z = -12.25 and z = 2
0.75

II. Sketch the normal curve and shade the portion of the area to show what is asked in each item:

31. What percent of the area under the normal curve is between z = 0.85 and z = 2.5?

32. Find the percentage of the area under the normal curve between z = -1 and z = 1.

33. What percent of the area under the normal curve is between z = -2.10 and z = 2.10?

34. Given z = -2.43 and z = -1.10, find the percentage of the area under the normal curve.

35. What percent of the area under the normal curve is between z = 1.03 and z = 2.83?

Statistics & Probability 7

 Name: Score: Muntinlupa National High School
Type C, NBP Reservation, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City

CN: Section: Date: 20 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Passing Statistics and Probability
Subject Teacher: Score:15
Standard Scores Worksheet No. 5
Direction: Read, understand, solve and write the solution and correct answer on the space provided.
I. Find the corresponding standard score of the following values:

In a given normal distribution, the sample mean is 75 and the sample standard deviation is 4.
1. 69 2. 85 3. 70 4. 65

In a given normal distribution, the population mean is 80 and the population standard deviation is 2.5.
5. 78 6. 84 7. 76 8. 85

II. Solve for the following problems. Show your solution.

9. On a final examination in Mathematics, the mean was 76 and the standard deviation was 5. Determine the
standard score of a student who received a score of 88 assuming the scores are normally distributed.

10. On a Statistics test, the mean is 65 and the standard deviation is 3. Assuming normality, what is the
standard score of a student who receives a score of 60?

Statistics & Probability 8

 11. Lody gets a score of 85 in a Biology test and 80 in a Math test. Scores in the Biology test have a mean of 75
and a standard deviation of 5. Scores in the Math test have a mean of 76 and standard deviation of 4. In
which subject is her standing better assuming that the scores in the two subjects are normally distributed?

12. The mean score and the standard score in Statistics test are respectively equal to 80 and 2.5, whereas in
Pre-Calculus test they are respectively equal to 70 and 2. If Beth got a score of 85 in Statistics and a score of
75 in Pre-Calculus, in which subject is her standing better assuming normality in both subjects?

13. In an English test, the mean is 60 and the standard deviation is 6. Assuming the scores are normally
distributed, what percent of the scores is
a. greater than 65? b. less than 70? c. between 50 and 65?

14. Consider the normal distribution of IQs with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 16. What
percentage of IQs are: a. greater than 95? b. less than 120? c. between 90 and 110?

15. The weekly income of managers in a certain company is normally distributed with a mean of P50,000 and
a standard deviation of P5,000. What is the z-score for a weekly income of:
a. P40,000? b. P55,000?

Reference:
Next Century Mathematics: Statistics and Probability
Jesus P. Mercado, et al.

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Statistics & Probability 10