NormalDistribution Lecture
NormalDistribution Lecture
Normal Distribution
Called a Probability density function. The
probability is interpreted as "area under the curve."
1) The random variable takes on an infinite # of
values within a given interval
2
Normal Distribution
Probabilities are obtained by getting the area
under the curve inside of a particular interval.
3 Characteristics of the Normal distribution:
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Normal Distribution
The probability density function for the normal
distribution:
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Normal Distribution
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Z-Distribution
Any normal distribution can be converted into a standard
normal distribution by transforming the normal random
variable into the standard normal random variable:
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Normal Distribution
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Normal Distribution
Remember these probabilities (percentages):
# standard deviations Approx. area under the
from the mean normal curve
±1 .68
±1.645 .90
±1.96 .95
±2 .955
±2.575 .99
±3 .997
8
Example: Weight
If the weight of males is N.D. with μ=150 and
σ=10, what is the probability that a randomly
selected male will weigh between 140 lbs and
155 lbs?
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Example: Weight
Solution:
140 150 155 X
-1 Z
0 0.5
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Example: IQ
If IQ is ND with a mean of 100 and a s.d. of 10, what
percentage of the population will have
(a) IQs ranging from 90 to 110?
Solution:
Z = (90 – 100)/10 = -1.00
Z = (110 -100)/ 10 = +1.00
Area between 0 and 1.00 in the Z-table is .3413;
Area between 0 and -1.00 is also .3413 (Z-
distribution is symmetric).
Answer to part (a) is .3413 + .3413 = .6826.
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Example: Salary
Suppose that the average salary of college
graduates is N.D. with μ=$40,000 and
σ=$10,000.
(a) What proportion of college graduates will earn
$24,800 or less?
(b) What proportion of college graduates will earn
$53,500 or more?
(c) What proportion of college graduates will earn
between $45,000 and $57,000?
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Example: Salary
(a) What proportion of college graduates will
earn $24,800 or less?
Solution:
Convert the $24,800 to a Z-score:
Z = ($24,800 - $40,000)/$10,000 = -1.52.
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Example: Salary
.4357
$24,800 $40,000 X
-1.52 0
Z
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Example: Salary
(b) What proportion of
college graduates will earn
.4115
$53,500 or more?
.0885
$40,000 $53,500
Solution:
0 +1.35
Convert the $53,500 to a Z-score. Z
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Example: Salary
.4
55
4
.1915
(c) What proportion of college
graduates will earn between
$45,000 and $57,000? $40k $45k $57k
0 .5 1.7
From the table, we can get the area under the curve between
the mean (0) and .5; we can get the area between 0 and 1.7.
From the picture we see that neither one is what we need.
What do we do here? Subtract the small piece from the big
piece to get exactly what we need.
Answer: .4554 − .1915 = .2639
Normal Distribution 16