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6.4 Standardizing a Normal Distribution 267

6.4 Standardizing a Normal Distribution

As was shown in the previous section, Table IV of Appendix C can be used to find areas un-
der the standard normal curve. However, in real-world applications, a (continuous) random vari-
able may have a normal distribution with values of the mean and standard deviation that are
different from 0 and 1, respectively. The first step in such a case is to convert the given normal
distribution to the standard normal distribution. This procedure is called standardizing a nor-
mal distribution. The units of a normal distribution (which is not the standard normal distribu-
tion) are denoted by x. We know from Section 6.3 that units of the standard normal distribution
are denoted by z.

Converting an x Value to a z Value For a normal random variable x, a particular value of x can
be converted to its corresponding z value by using the formula
xm
z
s
where ␮ and ␴ are the mean and standard deviation of the normal distribution of x,
respectively.

Thus, to find the z value for an x value, we calculate the difference between the given x
value and the mean, ␮, and divide this difference by the standard deviation, ␴. If the value of
x is equal to ␮, then its z value is equal to zero. Note that we will always round z values to two
decimal places.

The z value for the mean of a normal distribution is always zero.  Remember

Examples 6–6 through 6–10 describe how to convert x values to the corresponding z val-
ues and how to find areas under a normal distribution curve.

 EXAMPLE 6–6
Let x be a continuous random variable that has a normal distribution with a mean of 50 and
Converting x values
a standard deviation of 10. Convert the following x values to z values and find the probabil- to the corresponding z values.
ity to the left of these points.
(a) x  55 (b) x  35

Solution For the given normal distribution, ␮  50 and ␴  10.

(a) The z value for x  55 is computed as follows:
xm 55  50
z   .50
s 10
Thus, the z value for x  55 is .50. The z values for ␮  50 and x  55 are
shown in Figure 6.31. Note that the z value for ␮  50 is zero. The value z  .50
for x  55 indicates that the distance between ␮  50 and x  55 is 1兾2 of the
standard deviation, which is 10. Consequently, we can state that the z value rep-
resents the distance between ␮ and x in terms of the standard deviation. Because
x  55 is greater than ␮  50, its z value is positive.
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268 Chapter 6 Continuous Random Variables and the Normal Distribution

Figure 6.31 z value for x  55.

Shaded area
is .6915 Normal distribution
with μ = 50 and
σ = 10

x
μ = 50 x = 55

Standard normal
distribution

0 .50 z

z value for x = 55

From this point on, we will usually show only the z axis below the x axis and not
the standard normal curve itself.
To find the probability to the left of x  55, we find the probability to the left of
z  .50 from Table IV. This probability is .6915. Therefore,
P1x 6 552  P1z 6 .502  .6915

(b) The z value for x  35 is computed as follows and is shown in Figure 6.32:
xm 35  50
z   ⴚ1.50
s 10
Because x  35 is on the left side of the mean (i.e., 35 is less than ␮  50), its z
value is negative. As a general rule, whenever an x value is less than the value of ␮,
its z value is negative.
To find the probability to the left of x  35, we find the area under the normal
curve to the left of z  1.50. This area from Table IV is .0668. Hence,

P1x 6 352  P1z 6 1.502  .0668

Figure 6.32 z value for x  35.

σ = 10

Shaded area
is .0668

35 μ = 50 x

z
–1.50 0 䊏

Remember 䉴 The z value for an x value that is greater than ␮ is positive, the z value for an x value that is
equal to ␮ is zero, and the z value for an x value that is less than ␮ is negative.
To find the area between two values of x for a normal distribution, we first convert both
values of x to their respective z values. Then we find the area under the standard normal curve
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6.4 Standardizing a Normal Distribution 269

between those two z values. The area between the two z values gives the area between the cor-
responding x values. Example 6–7 illustrates this case.

䊏 EXAMPLE 6–7
Let x be a continuous random variable that is normally distributed with a mean of 25 and a
standard deviation of 4. Find the area
(a) between x  25 and x  32 (b) between x  18 and x  34

Solution For the given normal distribution, ␮  25 and ␴  4.

(a) The first step in finding the required area is to standardize the given normal distribu-
Finding the area
tion by converting x  25 and x  32 to their respective z values using the formula
between the mean and a
xm point to its right.
z
s
The z value for x  25 is zero because it is the mean of the normal distribution. The
z value for x  32 is
32  25
z  1.75
4
The area between x  25 and x  32 under the given normal distribution curve is equi-
valent to the area between z  0 and z  1.75 under the standard normal curve. From
Table IV, the area to the left of z  1.75 is .9599, and the area to the left of z  0 is
.50. Hence, the required area is .9599  .50  .4599, which is shown in Figure 6.33.
The area between x  25 and x  32 under the normal curve gives the probabil-
ity that x assumes a value between 25 and 32. This probability can be written as
P125 6 x 6 322  P10 6 z 6 1.752  .4599

Figure 6.33 Area between x  25 and x  32.

Shaded area
is .4599

25 32 x

z
0 1.75

(b) First, we calculate the z values for x  18 and x  34 as follows: Finding the area
18  25 between two points on different
For x  18: z   1.75 sides of the mean
4
34  25
For x  34: z   2.25
4
The area under the given normal distribution curve between x  18 and x  34 is
given by the area under the standard normal curve between z  1.75 and z  2.25.
From Table IV, the area to the left of z  2.25 is .9878, and the area to the left of
z  1.75 is .0401. Hence, the required area is
P118 6 x 6 342  P11.75 6 z 6 2.252  .9878  .0401  .9477
This area is shown in Figure 6.34.
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270 Chapter 6 Continuous Random Variables and the Normal Distribution

Figure 6.34 Area between x  18 and x  34.

Shaded area
= .9477

18 25 34 x

z
–1.75 0 2.25 䊏

䊏 EXAMPLE 6–8
Let x be a normal random variable with its mean equal to 40 and standard deviation equal to
5. Find the following probabilities for this normal distribution.
(a) P(x  55) (b) P(x  49)

Solution For the given normal distribution, ␮  40 and ␴  5.

Calculating the probability
of x falling in the right tail.
(a) The probability that x assumes a value greater than 55 is given by the area under the
normal distribution curve to the right of x  55, as shown in Figure 6.35. This area
is calculated by subtracting the area to the left of x  55 from 1.0, which is the total
area under the curve.
55  40
For x  55: z   3.00
5

Figure 6.35 Finding P(x  55).

Shaded area
= .0013

40 55 x

z
0 3.00

The required probability is given by the area to the right of z  3.00. To find this area,
first we find the area to the left of z  3.00, which is .9987. Then we subtract this
area from 1.0. Thus,
P1x 7 552  P1z 7 3.002  1.0  .9987  .0013

Calculating the probability (b) The probability that x will assume a value less than 49 is given by the area under the
that x is less than a value to the normal distribution curve to the left of 49, which is the shaded area in Figure 6.36.
right of the mean. This area is obtained from Table IV.
49  40
For x  49: z   1.80
5

Figure 6.36 Finding P(x  49).

Shaded area
= .9641
.9641

40 49 x

z
0 1.80
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6.4 Standardizing a Normal Distribution 271

The required probability is given by the area to the left of z  1.80. This area from
Table IV is .9641. Therefore, the required probability is

P1x 6 492  P1z 6 1.802  .9641 䊏

䊏 EXAMPLE 6–9
Let x be a continuous random variable that has a normal distribution with ␮  50 and
Finding the area between
␴  8. Find the probability P(30  x  39). two x values that are less
than the mean.
Solution For this normal distribution, ␮  50 and ␴  8. The probability P(30  x  39) is
given by the area from x  30 to x  39 under the normal distribution curve. As shown in Fig-
ure 6.37, this area is given by the difference between the area to the left of x  30 and the area
to the left of x  39.
30  50
For x  30: z   2.50
8
39  50
For x  39: z  1.38
8

Figure 6.37 Finding P(30  x  39).

Shaded area
is = .0776

30 39 50 x

z
−2.50 −1.38 0

To find the required area, we first find the area to the left of z  2.50, which is .0062.
Then, we find the area to the left of z  1.38, which is .0838. The difference between these
two areas gives the required probability, which is

P130  x  392  P12.50  z  1.382  .0838  .0062  .0776 䊏

䊏 EXAMPLE 6–10
Let x be a continuous random variable that has a normal distribution with a mean of 80 and
a standard deviation of 12. Find the area under the normal distribution curve
(a) from x  70 to x  135 (b) to the left of 27

Solution For the given normal distribution, ␮  80 and ␴  12.

(a) The z values for x  70 and x  135 are:
Finding the area between
70  80 two x values that are on different
For x  70: z   .83 sides of the mean.
12
135  80
For x  135: z  4.58
12
Thus, to find the required area we find the areas to the left of z  .83 and to the left
of z  4.58 under the standard normal curve. From Table IV, the area to the left of
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272 Chapter 6 Continuous Random Variables and the Normal Distribution

Figure 6.38 Area between x  70 and x  135.

Shaded area
is approximately
= .7967

70 80 135 x

z
−.83 0 4.58

z  .83 is .2033 and the area to the left of z  4.58 is approximately 1.0. Note that
z  4.58 is not in Table IV.
Hence,
P170  x  1352  P1.83  z  4.582
 1.0  .2033  .7967 approximately
Figure 6.38 shows this area.

Finding an area in the left tail.
(b) First we find the z value for x  27.
27  80
For x  27: z   4.42
12
As shown in Figure 6.39, the required area is given by the area under the standard
normal distribution curve to the left of z  4.42. This area is approximately zero.
P1x 6 272  P1z 6 4.422  .00 approximately

Figure 6.39 Area to the left of x  27.

Shaded area is
approximately
.00

27 80 x

z
− 4.42 0
䊏

EXERCISES
䊏 CONCEPTS AND PROCEDURES
6.27 Find the z value for each of the following x values for a normal distribution with ␮  30 and
␴  5.
a. x  39 b. x  19 c. x  24 d. x  44
6.28 Determine the z value for each of the following x values for a normal distribution with ␮  16 and
␴  3.
a. x  12 b. x  22 c. x  19 d. x  13
6.29 Find the following areas under a normal distribution curve with ␮  20 and ␴  4.
a. Area between x  20 and x  27
b. Area from x  23 to x  26
c. Area between x  9.5 and x  17
6.30 Find the following areas under a normal distribution curve with ␮  12 and ␴  2.
a. Area between x  7.76 and x  12
b. Area between x  14.48 and x  16.54
c. Area from x  8.22 to x  10.06