Activity 2

Statistics and Probability

General Instruction. Read each instruction carefully. Do this in a Microsoft
Word. Screenshot any necessary parts of your observations.

Consider the function below.

1 1 𝑥−𝜇 2
𝑓(𝑥) = .𝑒 2 𝜎 )
− (
𝜎√2𝜋
where 𝜇 = 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
𝜎 = 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝜋 = 3.14159
𝑒 = 2.71828
𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟

1. Use geogebra app. to graph the above function.

2. Type the function in “input” field.

3. Give any single value for 𝜇 and substitute this value to the above function (use
this value for each values of sigma).
4. Value of 𝜎 are 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3. (Hint: use 0.1 first,
together the value you selected in 𝜇, then press “ENTER” in your keyboard.
5. Observe the graph generated by geogebra. From 𝜇, zoom up the graph going to
left. What do you notice? How about going to right? Tell us your observation.

Figure 2.1. Zooming the Figure 1.2. Zooming the

graph going to left graph going to the right

I noticed that as the graph approaches to negative infinity, the value of f(x)
gets closer and closer to zero, until it becomes zero constantly, same goes when
going to right or as x approaches to positive infinity, the value of f(x) also gets
closer and closer to zero, until it becomes zero constantly.
6. Do the same procedure, that is, 𝜎 = 0.2, 𝜎 = 0.3, until we reach to 𝜎 = 3
(value of 𝜇 is still the same).
 In this case, I let the mean be μ=1 and started manipulating the function by
substituting the given values of standard deviation (σ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1,
1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3). They all exhibited a symmetrical bell-shaped curve (at x=1,
which is also the mean, acts as their axis of symmetry) but each graph varies on
their maximum values and the steepness of the curve.
7. Observe what happened to the graph as the value of standard deviation changes.

The standard deviation affects the steepness

of the curve of the graph, knowing that increasing
the standard deviation produces a flatter and wider
bell-shaped curve graph, and that decreasing the
standard deviation produces a taller and narrower
curve graph.