Introductory of Statistics

(Introduction of Statistics)

Chapter VII: Normal Curves and Sampling Distributions

Important Properties of a Normal Curve

1) The curve is bell-shaped, with the highest point over the mean µ.
2) The curve is symmetrical about a vertical line through µ.
3) The curve approaches the horizontal axis but never touches or crosses it.
4) The inflection (transition) points between cupping upward and downward occur above
μ+σ and μ−σ.
5) The area under the entire curve is 1.

Empirical Rule
o For a distribution that is symmetrical an bell-shaped (in particular, for a normal
distribution):
o Approximately 68% of the data values will lie within 1 standard deviation on each side of
the mean.
o Approximately 95% of the data values will lie within 2 standard deviations on each side
of the mean.
o Approximately 99.7% of the data values will lie within 3 standard deviations on each
side of the mean.

Z Scores
o The z-score tells you how many standard deviations the value x is above (to the right of)
or below (to the left of) the mean μ. Values of x that are larger than the mean have
 positive z scores, and values of x that are smaller than the mean have negative z-scores.
If x equals the mean, then x has a z-score of zero.
o The z value or z score (also known as the standard score) gives the number of standard
deviation between the original measurement x and the mean µ of the x distribution.
o z=x−μ/
σ
o x=zσ + μ
o Find z for x = 23, μ=10, σ=12

Summarizing:
- When z is positive, x is above, or to the right of μ
- When z is negative, x is to the left of, or below μ.

Standard Normal Distribution

o Standard Normal distribution is also known as the Z-distribution. The total area under
the curve is 100%. As in the previous chapter, we can find the probability using area
under the curve. We will be using technology to find the probability of standard normal
distribution.
o The standard normal distribution is a normal distribution with mean μ=0 and standard
deviation σ=1.
Standard Score

o The z volUe or z score tells the number of standard deviations between the original
measurement x and the mean y of the x distribution.
o The z value is in standard units.

Calculating z scores

The amount of time it takes for a pizza delivery is approximately normally distributed with a
mean of 25 minutes and a standard deviation of 2 minutes.
a. Convert 21 minutes to a z score.
b. Convert 29.7 minutes to a z score.

Solution:

Raw Score

o A raw score is the result of converting from standard units (z scores) back to original
measurements, x values.
o We get the formula:
Interpreting z-scores

Mean delivery time 25 minutes

Standard deviation 2 minutes
Interpret a z score of 1.60. The delivery time is 28.2 minutes.