Properties of the Normal Distribution Curve, Skewness, and Kurtosis

I. Properties of the Normal Distribution Curve

The normal distribution has the shape

of the bell curve as shown in the left.
A set of data will have a normal
distribution curve if its mean, median,
and mode values are equal. The value
of these statistical parameters is the
center of the normal distribution curve,
which is usually, designated as zero
(Killiam, 2014).

Because the mean, median, and mode values are equal, normal distributions are
symmetric around the men. The area below the curve is equal to unity or (1). In
statistical probability, unity means that the probability or finding a certain value within a
particular region is space is 100%. As indicated by the bell-shape of the curve, the
distributions are denser in the center and less on the tails. In layman’s term, if the area
under the curve is your cluttered room and you are misplaced your shoes, you will most
likely find them at the center of your bell-shaped room, because the majority of your
things are pilled-up there (Brown, 2019).

Normal distributions are defined by the mean (μ) and the standard deviation (σ). One
“unit” of standard deviation from the mean (if we move one standard deviation from the
mean from the center to the right and left) would encompass 68% of all the data points.
This means that the area under the curve in the figure above from -1 to +1 is 68% of the
area of the total curve, or it contains 68% of the data points. Thus, if 100 data points
where used in constructing the curve, then 68 of those data points are well within the
specified area. Conversely, moving two units of standard deviation away from the mean
would encompass 95% of the area or data points. Moving three unites of standard
deviation would encompass 99% of the area of data points. Collectively, these
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percentages are called the “68-95-99 rule” of the normal distribution curves (Killiam,
2014).

II. Properties of Skewness

Skewness and Kurtosis are called the measures of shape. In real life, it is rare that the
data points would yield perfectly normal distributions. Normally, the distribution curve
would be asymmetrical. Skewness refers to the amount and direction of skew relative to
the normal distribution curve; in other words, it quantifies the “off-centeredness” of the
curve relative to the normal distribution curve. Skewness (s) has the following formula:

s = (Mean – Median)/ Standard Deviation

If the absolute value of skewness is less than 0.5 (|s|<0.5), then we say that the
shape of the curve is pretty symmetric. When the absolute value is from 0.5 to 1, we say
that the curve is slightly skewed. When |s| > 1, we say that the shape of the curve is
much or very skewed (Brown, 2019)

The direction of
the skewness
can be
determined by
looking at the
values of the
mean, median,
and mode. If
mode < median <
mean, we say that curve is positively skewed (skewed to the right = the longer tail is on
the right); if mean < median < mode, we say the curve is negatively skewed (skewed to
the left = the longer tail is on the left) (Killiam, 2014)

III. Properties of Kurtosis

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Kurtosis (k) measures the

steepness or sharpness of the peak
of the curve. If k has positive values
(k > 0) we say that the curve has a
sharp peak compared to the normal
distribution curve. If k has negative
values (k<0), we say that that the
curve has a flatter peak compared
to the normal distribution curve. The
k of a normal distribution curve is zero (k = 0). The higher the value of kurtosis is, the
more spread the data points are and vice versa. Notice that kurtosis is usually indirectly
proportional to the absolute value of the standard deviation (Killiam 2014).