The Normal Distribution

Lesson 10

Learning Objectives
• Compare a data distribution to the normal distribution model. VAR-2.A Skill 2.D
• Determine proportions and percentiles from a normal distribution. VAR-2.B Skill 3.A
• Compare measures of relative position in data sets. VAR-2.C.1 Skill 2.D

Essential Knowledge
• A parameter is a numerical summary of a population. VAR-2.A.1
• Some data sets can be described as approximately normally distributed. A normal distribution is
bell-shaped and symmetric. The parameters of a normal distribution are the population mean (μ) and
the population standard deviation (σ). VAR-2.A.2

• For a normal distribution, approximately 68% of the observations are within 1 standard deviation of
the mean, approximately 95% of the observations are within 2 standard deviations of the mean, and
approximately 99.7% is within 3 standard deviations of the mean. VAR-2.A.3

• Many variables can be models by a normal distribution. VAR-2.A.4

• A standardized score for a particular data value is calculated as (data value-mean)/standard
deviation), and measures the number of standard deviations a data value fall above or below the
mean. VAR-2.B.1
xi − μ
• One type of standardized score is a z-score, which is calculated as z= . A z-score
σ
measure how many standard deviations a data value is from the mean. VAR-2.B.2
• Technology (calculator), standard normal table, or a computer generated output can be used to find
the proportion of data values located on a given interval of a normally distributed random variable.
VAR-2.B.3
• Given the area of a region under the graph of the normal distribution curve, it is possible to use your
calculator, standard normal table, or computer-generated output to estimate parameters for some
populations. VAR-2.B.4

• Percentiles and z-scores may be used to compare relative positions of points within a data set or
between data sets. VAR-2.C.1

Vocabulary
Normal Distribution:

Empirical Rule:

Standardized Score:

z-score:

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 Normal Distributions
Standard normal table:

Density Curve:

Normal Probability Plot:

Attributes of Normal Distributions

All normal curves have the same overall shape. They are all symmetric, bell-shaped, and single-peeked.

You can completely describe a normal curve by the mean and standard deviation.

Due to the symmetry of the normal curve, the mean and median are approximately equal.

The mean (μ) is located at the center of the symmetric normal curve.

The standard deviation (σ) controls the spread of a normal curve. Curves with larger standard deviations are more
spread out.

Example 1: Order the normal curves from largest standard deviation to smallest.

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 Empirical Rule
The empirical rule is also called the 68-95-99.7 rule.

We can use this rule to quickly ESTIMATE the percent of observations in a specified interval.

Example 2: As of 2010, the mean height of US males is 69 inches, a standard deviation of 2.8 inches, and is
approximately normally distributed. Label the points one, two, and three standard deviations from the mean.

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 Empirical Rule
Example 3: Use the empirical rule to estimate the percent of men that have heights greater than 71.8 inches. Show
your work.

Example 4: What percent of men have heights between 66.2 inches and 77.4 inches? Show your work.

Example 5: What heights do the middle 95% of men fall between? Show your work.

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 Empirical Rule and Normal Distributions
Example 6: A height of 71.8 inches correspond to what percentile of men in the US?

All normal distributions can be modeled by the same distribution if we change the unit of measure to standard
deviation units.

Changing to standard deviation units requires us to standardize our values using this equation:

xi − μ d ata value − m ean

z= In words:

σ stan d ard deviat ion

Once a normal distribution has been standardized, you can use Table A (Standard Normal Table) to find areas
under the curve (percentiles, proportions and probabilities).

Table A give the area to the LEFT of a standardized score.

When you standardize your mean it becomes 0.

Your standardized standard deviation is 1.

Example 7: The mean of a distribution os 32 the standard deviation is 3. Prove that when you standardize any mean
it becomes 0 and the the standardized standard deviation is 1. Show your work.

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Using the Standard Normal Table

Example 8: Use the standard normal table to find the area to the left of a z-score of 1.10.

Directions:

1. Sketch and label a normal curve. 0 (mean) is in the middle and go out 3 standard deviations above and

below the mean.

2. Draw a vertical line at 1.10 and shade the area to the left of your line. This represents the area under the

curve that you seek.

3. Go to the positive z-scores and follow the z-column until you get to 1.1

4. Move to the right until you reach .00 column and record this percentage

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 Area under the Normal Curve
Example 9: Find the percent of observations that fall above a z-score of 0.67. Interpret in context.

Example 10: Find the percent of observations that fall between a z-score of -0.62 and 1.34. Interpret in context.

Tech Check: Finding percentages (area under a normal cur ve) given a z-score
Record the steps necessary to find the area under a normal curve given a z-score. Verify examples 8-10 with your
calculator. When you use your calculator for these types of problems, you must write down the calculator
command and label your inputs.

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Working Backwards (Areas to z-scores)
What if we want to find a z-score given a particular area under the normal curve?

We will use the standard normal table to work our way backwards from an area to a z-score.

Example 11: Find the z-score for the 30th percentile.

Directions:

1. Use the standard normal table and search for an area as close to 0,30 as you can get.

2. Follow that row to the left until it lines up with the one and tenths place of your z-score.

3. Follow straight up from your area to get the hundredths place for your z-score.

4. Sketch and label your normal curve with your z-score and shade the area to the left to represent your

area.

Example 12: Find a z-score that has 52% of the observations fall above it. Tech Check: Finding percentages (area

Tech Check: Finding z-scores given an area under the normal cur ve
Record the steps necessary to find a z-score given an area under the normal curve. Verify examples 11-12 with
your calculator.

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Finding Areas in any Normal Distribution
Jordan Spieth is a top rated golfer on the PGA tour. He drives the ball, on average, 291.75 yards with a standard
deviation of 9.4 yards. Assume that Jordan’s drives are normally distributed.

Example 13: What percent of Jordan’s drives travel at least 277 yards? Solve by hand (use standard normal table)
and verify with your calculator.

Calculator command, inputs, and answer.

Example 14: What percent of Jordan’s drives travel between 293 and 313 yards?

Calculator command, inputs, and answer.

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More on Normal Distributions
Normal Distributions are good models for some distributions of real data. Test scores (ACT, SAT, …), repeated
measurements of the same quantity, and characteristics of biological populations are all examples of normal
distributions.

Other distributions we periodically run into that are not normal are income distributions (skewed right), along with
most economic variables, and lifetime of electronic devices.

If the graph of your data is clearly skewed, has multiple peaks, or is not bell-shaped, this is evidence that the
distribution is not normal.

We can asses the normality of our data with a normal probability plot. If the points of this plot lie close to a straight
line and do not have any clear departures from the overall pattern, we can conclude that our distribution is
approximately normal.

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