Acertain group of welfare recipients receives SNAP benefits of$110 er week withastandard

deviation of$20.Da random sample 25eople is taken,what is the probability their mean benefit
Step 1: Identify the parts of the problem. Your question should state

1. the mean (average or μ)

2. the standard deviation (σ)
3. population size
4. sample size (n)
5. a number associated with “greater than” (  ). Note: this is the sample mean. In other words, the problem
is asking you “What is the probability that a sample mean of x items will be greater than this number?
Step 2: Draw a graph. Label the center with the mean. Shade the area roughly above (i.e. the “greater than” area).
This step is optional, but it may help you see what you are looking for.

Step 3: Use the following formula to find the z-score. Plug in the numbers from step 1.

Click here if you want easy, step-by-step instructions for solving this formula.
1. Subtract the mean (μ in step 1) from the ‘greater than’ value ( in step 1). Set this number aside for a
moment.
2. Divide the standard deviation (σ in step 1) by the square root of your sample (n in step 1). For
example, if thirty six children are in your sample and your standard deviation is 3, then 3 / √36 = 0.5
3. Divide your result from step 1 by your result from step 2 (i.e. step 1/step 2)
Step 4: Look up the z-score you calculated in step 3 in the z-table. If you don’t remember how to look up z-
scores, you can find an explanation in step 1 of this article: Area to the right of a z-score.
Step 5: Subtract your z-score from 0.5. For example, if your score is 0.1554, then 0.5 – 0.1554 = 0.3446.
Step 6: Convert the decimal in Step 5 to a percentage. In our example, 0.3446 = 34.46%.
2. Specific Example
A population of 29 year-old males has a mean salary of $29,321 with a standard deviation of $2,120. If a sample of
100 men is taken, what is the probability their mean salaries will be less than $29,000?
Step 1: Insert the values into the z-formula:
= (29,000 – 29,321) / (2,120/√100) = -321/212 = -1.51.
Step 2: Look up the z-score in the left-hand z-table (or use technology). -1.51 has an area of 93.45%.
However, this is not the answer, as the question is asking for LESS THAN, and 93.45% is the area “greater than” so
you need to subtract from 100%.
100% – 93.45% = 6.55% or about 0.07.

3 Example problem: There are 250 dogs at a dog show who weigh an average of 12 pounds, with a standard
deviation of 8 pounds. If 4 dogs are chosen at random, what is the probability they have an average weight of greater
than 8 pounds and less than 25 pounds?

Step 1: Identify the parts of the problem. Your question should state:
 mean (average or μ) standard deviation (σ) population size
 sample size (n)
 number associated with “less than” 1
 number associated with “greater than” 2
Step 2: Draw a graph. Label the center with the mean. Shade the area between   1 and   2. This step is optional, but it
may help you see what you are looking for.

Step 3: Use the following formula to find the z-scores.

All this formula is asking you to do is:

a) Subtract the mean (μ in Step 1) from the greater than value (Xbar in Step 1): 25 – 12 = 13.
b) Divide the standard deviation (σ in Step 1) by the square root of your sample (n in Step 1): 8 / √ 4 = 4
c) Divide your result from a by your result from b: 13 / 4 = 3.25
Step 4 Use the formula from Step 3 to find the z-values. This time, use Xbar2 from Step 1 (8).
a) Subtract the mean (μ in Step 1) from the greater than value (Xbar in Step 1): 8 – 12 = -4.
b) Divide the standard deviation (σ in Step 1) by the square root of your sample (n in Step 1): 8 / √ 4 = 4
c) Divide your result from a by your result from b: -4 / 4= -1
Step 5: Look up the value you calculated in Step 3 in the z-table.
Z value of 3.25 corresponds to .4994

Step 6: Look up the value you calculated in Step 4 in the z-table.

Z value of 1 corresponds to .3413

Note that the bell curve is symmetrical, so if you want to look up a negative value like -1, then just look up the
positive counterpart. The area will be the same.
Step 7: Add Step 5 and 6 together:
.4994 + .3413 = .8407

Step 8: Convert the decimal in Step 7 to a percentage:

.8407 = 84.07%