International AS Maths Edexcel: 3. Statistical Distributions

Head to savemyexams.
com for more awesome resources
YOUR NOTES
International AS Maths Edexcel 
3. Statistical Distributions
CONTENTS
3.1 Discrete Random Variables
3.1.1 Discete Probability Distributions
3.1.2 E(X) & Var(X) (Discrete)
3.1.3 aX+b
3.1.4 Discrete Uniform Distribution
3.2 Normal Distribution
3.2.1 The Normal Distribution
3.2.2 Standard Normal Distribution
3.2.3 Normal Distribution - Calculations
3.2.4 Finding Sigma and Mu
Page 1 of 38
© 2015-2023 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
Head to savemyexams.com for more awesome resources
3.1 Discrete Random Variables YOUR NOTES

3.1.1 Discete Probability Distributions
Discrete Random Variables

What is a discrete random variable?
A random variable is a variable whose value depends on the outcome of a random event
The value of the random variable is not known until the event is carried out (this is what
is meant by 'random' in this case)
Random variables are denoted using upper case letters (X , Y , etc )
Particular outcomes of the event are denoted using lower case letters ( x, y, etc)
P (X = x ) means "the probability of the random variable X taking the value x "
A discrete random variable (often abbreviated to DRV) can only take certain values within a
set
Discrete random variables usually count something
Discrete random variables usually can only take a finite number of values but it is
possible that it can take an infinite number of values (see the examples below)
Examples of discrete random variables include:
The number of times a coin lands on heads when flipped 20 times
(this has a finite number of outcomes: 0,1,2,…,20)
The number of emails a manager receives within an hour
(this has an infinite number of outcomes: 1,2,3,…)
The number of times a dice is rolled until it lands on a 6
(this has an infinite number of outcomes: 1,2,3,…)
The number on a bingo ball when one is drawn at random
(this has a finite number of outcomes: 1,2,3…,90)
Page 2 of 38
Probability Distributions (Discrete) YOUR NOTES
What is a probability distribution? 

A discrete probability distribution fully describes all the values that a discrete random
variable can take along with their associated probabilities
This can be given in a table (similar to GCSE)
Or it can be given as a function (called a probability mass function)
They can be represented by vertical line graphs (the possible values for along the
horizontal axis and the probability on the vertical axis)
The sum of the probabilities of all the values of a discrete random variable is 1
This is usually written ΣP(X = x ) = 1
A discrete uniform distribution is one where the random variable takes a finite number of
values each with an equal probability
1
If there are n values then the probability of each one is
n
Page 3 of 38
YOUR NOTES
Page 4 of 38
Cumulative Probabilities (Discrete) YOUR NOTES
How do I calculate probabilities using a discrete probability distribution? 

For probability distributions that take a small number of values start by drawing a table to
represent the probability distribution
If the distribution is given as a function then find each probability
If any probabilities are unknown then use algebra to represent them
Form an equation using ∑P(X = x ) = 1
To find P (X = k )
If k is a possible value of the random variable X then P (X = k ) will be given in the table
If k is not a possible value then P (X = k ) = 0
What is the cumulative distribution function?
The cumulative distribution function, denoted F(x ) , is the probability that the random
variable takes a value less than or equal to x.
F(x ) = P(X ≤ x )
You may be asked to draw a table for the cumulative distribution function
This will be similar to a probability distribution function but instead the bottom row will
be F(x) instead of P(X = x)
How do I calculate cumulative probabilities?
To find P (X ≤ x ) (equivalently F(x))
Identify all possible values, xi , that X can take which satisfy xi ≤ k
Add together all their corresponding probabilities
P(X ≤ k ) = ∑ P(X = x i )
x i ≤k
Using a similar method you can find P (X < k ) , P (X ≥ k ) and P (X > k )
As all the probabilities add up to 1 you can form the following equivalent equations:
P (X < k ) + P (X = k ) + P (X > k ) = 1
P (X > k ) = 1 − P (X ≤ k )
P (X ≥ k ) = 1 − P (X < k )
To calculate more complicated probabilities such as P (X 2 < 4)
Identify which values of the random variable satisfy the inequality or event in the
brackets
Add together the corresponding probabilities
How do I know which inequality to use?
P(X ≤ k ) would be used for phrases such as:
At most k, no greater than k, etc
P(X < k ) would be used for phrases such as:
Fewer than k
P(X ≥ k ) would be used for phrases such as:
At least k , no fewer than k, etc
P(X > k ) would be used for phrases such as:
Greater than k, etc
Page 5 of 38
YOUR NOTES
 Worked Example

The probability distribution of the discrete random variable X is given by the
function
⎧⎪ 2
⎪⎪ kx x = − 3, − 1,2,4
P (X = x ) = ⎪⎨⎪
⎪⎩ 0 otherwise
(a)
1
Show that k = .
30
(b)
Calculate F(3) .
(c)
Calculate P(X 2 < 5) .
1
(a) Show that k = .
30
(b)
Calculate F (3) .
Page 6 of 38
YOUR NOTES
(c)
Calculate P (X 2 < 5)
 Exam Tip
Try to draw a table if there are a finite number of values that the discrete random
variable can take
When finding a probability, it will sometimes be quicker to subtract the
probabilities of the unwanted values from 1 rather than adding together the
probabilities of the wanted values
Always make sure that the probabilities are between 0 and 1, and that they add
up to 1!
Page 7 of 38
3.1.2 E(X) & Var(X) (Discrete) YOUR NOTES

E(X) & Var(X) (Discrete)
What does E(X) mean and how do I calculate E(X)?
E(X) means the expected value or the mean of a random variable X
For a discrete random variable, it is calculated by:
Multiplying each value of X with its corresponding probability
Adding all these terms together
Σ x P(X = x )
Look out for symmetrical distributions (where the values of X are symmetrical and their
probabilities are symmetrical) as the mean of these is the same as the median
For example if X can take the values 1, 5, 9 with probabilities 0.3, 0.4, 0.3 respectively
then by symmetry the mean would be 5
How do I calculate E(X²)?
E(X²) means the expected value or the mean of a random variable defined as X²
For a discrete random variable, it is calculated by:
Squaring each value of X to get the values of X2
Multiplying each value of X2 with its corresponding probability
Σ x 2P (X = x )
In a similar way E(f(x)) can be calculated for a discrete random variable by:
Applying the function f to each value of to get the values of f(X)
Multiplying each value of f(X ) with its corresponding probability
Σ f (x ) P (X = x )
Page 8 of 38
YOUR NOTES
Is E(X²) equal to (E(X))²?

Definitely not!
They are only equal if X can take only one value with probability 1
if this was the case it would no longer be a random variable
E(X²) is the mean of the values of X²
(E(X))² is the square of the mean of the values of X
To see the difference
Imagine a random variable X that can only take the values 1 and -1 with equal chance
The mean would be 0 so the square of the mean would also be 0
The square values would be 1 and 1 so the mean of the squares would also be 1
In general E(f(X)) does not equal f(E(X)) where f is a function
⎛ 1 ⎞⎟
So if you wanted to find something like E ⎜⎜ ⎟ then you would have to use the definition
⎝x⎠
and calculate:
1
∑ x P(X = x )
What does Var(X) mean and how do I calculate Var(X)?

Var(X) means the variance of a random variable X
For any random variable this can be calculated using the formula
2
E (X ) − (E (X )) 2
This is the mean of the squares of X minus the square of the mean of X
Compare this to the definition of the variance of a set of data
Var(X) is always positive
The standard deviation of a random variable X is the square root of Var(X)
Page 9 of 38
YOUR NOTES
 Worked Example

The discrete random variable X has the probability distribution shown in the
following table:
x 2 3 5 7
P (X = x ) 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.4
(a)
Find the value of E(X ) .
(b)
Find the value of E (X 2) .
(c)
Find the value of Var (X ) .
(a)
Find the value of E(X ) .
(b)
Find the value of E (X 2) .
(c)
Find the value of Var (X ) .
 Exam Tip
Check if your answer makes sense. The mean should fit within the range of the
values of X.
Page 10 of 38
3.1.3 aX+b YOUR NOTES

aX+b
How are the mean and variance of X related to the mean and variance of aX
+ b?
If a and b are constants then the following results are true
E(aX + b) = aE(X) + b
Var(aX + b) = a² Var(X)
Note that the mean is affected by multiplication and addition whereas addition does not
change the variance
The factor of a² includes the squared because the values of X are squared in the calculation
You could try and use the first result and the formula for variance to verify the second
result
Remember a subtraction can be written as an addition
X – b can be written as X + (-b)
And division can be written as a multiplication
x 1
can be written as X
a a
 Worked Example
X is a random variable such that E (X ) = 5 and Var (X ) = 4 .
Find the value of:
(i)
E(3X + 5)
(ii)
Var (3X + 5)
(iii)
Var (2 − X )
Page 11 of 38
3.1.4 Discrete Uniform Distribution YOUR NOTES

Discrete Uniform Distribution
What is a discrete uniform distribution?
A discrete uniform distribution is a discrete probability distribution
The discrete random variable X follows a discrete uniform distribution if
There are a finite number of distinct outcomes (n)
Each outcome is equally likely
1
If there are n distinct outcomes, P (X = x ) =
n
In many cases the outcomes of X are the integers 1, 2, 3, .., n
1
P (X = x ) = for n = 1, 2, 3, . . . ,n
n
0 for any other value of X
The distribution can be represented visually using a vertical line graph where the lines have
equal heights
What is the mean and variance of a discrete uniform distribution?

If the outcomes of X are the integers 1, 2, 3, …, n
n +1
The expected value (mean) is
2
n2− 1
The variance is
12
Square root to get the standard deviation
The discrete uniform distribution is symmetrical so the median is the same as the mean
There is no mode as each value is equally likely
Do the outcomes have to be 1 to n?
The numbers can be anything as long as they are equally likely
The formulae for the mean and variance only apply when the values are the integers 1 to n
If the outcomes form an arithmetic sequence then the distribution can be transformed to
the distribution with the values 1 to n
If X is the discrete uniform distribution using 1 to n and Y is a discrete uniform distribution
whose outcomes form an arithmetic sequence then:
Y = aX + b
You can then use this formula to find the mean and variance
E(Y) = aE(X) + b
Var(Y) = a² Var(X)
Page 12 of 38
For example: Y = 2, 5, 8, 11 can be transformed to X = 1, 2, 3, 4 using Y = 3X - 1 YOUR NOTES
What can be modelled using a discrete uniform distribution? 

Anything which satisfies the two conditions
finite distinct outcomes and all equally likely
For example, let R be the second digit of a number given by a random number generator
There are 10 distinct outcomes: 0, 1, 2, ..., 9
As it is a random number then each value is equally likely to be the second digit
What can not be modelled using a discrete uniform distribution?
Anything where the number of outcomes is infinite
The number obtained when a person is asked to write down any integer
Anything where the outcomes are not equally likely
The number obtained when one of the first 5 Fibonacci numbers is randomly selected
1, 1, 2, 3, 5
1 appears twice so is more likely to be picked than the rest
 Worked Example
Each odd number from 1 to 99 is written on an individual tile and one is chosen at
random. The random variable T represents the number on the chosen tile.
(a) Find E (T ) .
(b) Find Var (T ) .
(a) Find E (T ) .
Page 13 of 38
YOUR NOTES
(b) Find Var (T ) .
 Exam Tip
Always check your mean and variance makes sense. If the numbers go from 1 to
100 then a mean of 101 is not possible!
Page 14 of 38
3.2 Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

3.2.1 The Normal Distribution
Page 15 of 38
Properties of Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES
The binomial distribution is an example of a discrete probability distribution. The normal 

distribution is an example of a continuous probability distribution.
What is a continuous random variable?
A continuous random variable (often abbreviated to CRV) is a random variable take any
value within a range of infinite values
Continuous random variables usually measure something
For example, height, weight, time, etc
What is a continuous probability distribution?
A continuous probability distribution is a probability distribution in which the random
variable X is continuous
The probability of X being a particular value is always zero
P(X = k) = 0 for any value k
Instead we define the probability density function f(x) for a specific value
We talk about the probability of X being within a certain range
A continuous probability distribution can be represented by a continuous graph (the values
for X along the horizontal axis and probability density on the vertical axis)
The area under the graph between the points x = a and x = b is equal to P(a ≤ X ≤ b)
The total area under the graph equals 1
As P(X = k) = 0 for any value k , it does not matter if we use strict or weak inequalities
P(X ≤ k) = P(X < k) for any value k
What is a normal distribution?
A normal distribution is a continuous probability distribution
The continuous random variable can follow a normal distribution if:
The distribution is symmetrical
The distribution is bell-shaped
If X follows a normal distribution then it is denoted X ∼ N (μ , σ 2)
μ is the mean
σ2 is the variance
σ is the standard deviation
If the mean changes then the graph is translated horizontally
If the variance changes then the graph is stretched horizontally
A small variance leads to a tall curve with a narrow centre
A large variance leads to a short curve with a wide centre
Page 16 of 38
What are the important properties of a normal distribution? YOUR NOTES
The mean is μ 
The variance is σ2
If you need the standard deviation remember to square root this
The normal distribution is symmetrical about x = μ
Mean = Median = Mode = μ
The normal distribution curve has two points of inflection
x = μ ± σ (one standard deviation away from the mean)
There are the results:
Approximately two-thirds (68%) of the data lies within one standard deviation of the
mean (μ ± σ)
Approximately 95% of the data lies within two standard deviations of the mean (μ ±
2σ)
Nearly all of the data (99.7%) lies within three standard deviations of the mean (μ ±
3σ)
For any value x a z-score (or z-value) can be calculated which measures how many
standard deviations x is away from the mean
x −μ
z =
σ
Page 17 of 38
Modelling with Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES
What can be modelled using a normal distribution? 

A lot of real-life continuous variables can be modelled by a normal distribution provided
that the population is large enough and that the variable is symmetrical with one mode
For a normal distribution X can take any real value, however values far from the mean (more
than 4 standard deviations away from the mean) have a probability density of practically
zero
This fact allows us to model variables that are not defined for all real values such as
height and weight
What can not be modelled using a normal distribution?
Variables which have more than one mode or no mode
For example, the number given by a random number generator
Variables which are not symmetrical
For example, how long a human lives for
 Worked Example
The random variable S represents the speeds (mph) of a certain species of
cheetahs when they run. The variable is modelled using N(40, 100).
(a)
Write down the mean and standard deviation of the running speeds of cheetahs.
(b)
State the two assumptions that have been made in order to use this model.
(a)
Write down the mean and standard deviation of the running speeds of cheetahs.
(b)
State the two assumptions that have been made in order to use this model.
 Exam Tip
Remember the second number in N(x, y) is the variance, if you want the standard
deviation then you need to square root it.
Page 18 of 38
3.2.2 Standard Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES
Page 19 of 38
Standard Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES
What is the standard normal distribution? 

The standard normal distribution is a normal distribution where the mean is 0 and the
standard deviation is 1
It is denoted by Z
Z ∼ N(0,12)
Why is the standard normal distribution important?

Calculating probabilities for the normal distribution can be difficult and lengthy due to its
complicated probability density function
The probabilities for the standard normal distribution have been calculated and laid out in
the table of the normal distribution which can be found in your formula booklet
Nowadays, many calculators can calculate probabilities for any normal distribution, if
yours does then the tables can be used as a check
It is possible to map any normal distribution onto the standard normal distribution curve
Mapping different normal distributions to the standard normal distribution allows
distributions with different means and standard deviations to be compared with each other
How is any normal distribution mapped to the standard normal
distribution?
Any normal distribution curve can be transformed to the standard normal distribution
curve by a horizontal translation and a horizontal stretch
Therefore, for X ∼ N(μ ,σ 2) and Z ∼ N(0,12) , we have the relationship:
X −μ
Z=
σ
Probabilities are related by:

⎛ a −μ ⎞⎟
P (X < a ) = P ⎜⎜ Z < ⎟
⎝ σ ⎠
This is a very useful relationship for calculating probabilities for any normal distribution
As the normal distribution is a continuous distribution P( z1 ≤ Z ≤ z2) = P( z1 < Z < z2)
so you do not need to worry about whether the inequality is strict (< or >) or weak (≤ or
≥)
A value of z = 1 corresponds with the x-value that is 1 standard deviation above the mean
and a value of z = -1 corresponds with the x-value that is 1 standard deviation below the
mean
If a value of x is less than the mean then the z -value will be negative
The function Φ(z ) is used to represent P(Z < z )
How is the table of the normal distribution function used?
In your formula booklet you have the table of the normal distribution which provides
probabilities for the standard normal distribution
The probabilities are provided for Φ(z ) = P(Z ≤ z ) = P(Z < z )
To find other probabilities you should use the symmetry property of the normal
distribution curve
Page 20 of 38
The table gives probabilities for values of z between 0 and 4 YOUR NOTES
For negative values of z, the symmetry property of the normal distribution is used 
For values greater than z = 4 the probabilities are small enough to be considered
negligible
The tables give the probabilities to 4 decimal places
To read probabilities from the normal distribution table for a z value :
Find the z value in a column labelled z at the top
The probability Φ(z ) will be the probability directly to the right of the z value
So the value of Φ(1. 23) = P (Z ≤ 1. 23) would be found to the right of 1.23
P (Z ≤ 1 . 23) = 0 . 8907
If the value of z is not listed then find the closest value on the table
z = 3.14 is not listed so use z = 3.15
z = 2.25 is not listed so use z = 2.24 or z = 2.26
How is the table used to find probabilities that are not listed?
The property that the area under the graph is 1 allows probabilities to be found for P( Z > z)
Use the formula P (Z > z ) = 1 − Φ(z )
The symmetrical property of the normal distribution gives the following results:
P(Z ≤ z ) = P(Z ≥ − z )
P(Z ≥ z ) = P(Z ≤ − z )
This allows probabilities to be found for negative values of z or for P (Z > z )
Φ( − z ) = 1 − Φ(z )
P (Z > z ) = 1 − Φ(z )
In summary
P (Z < z ) = Φ(z )
P(Z > z ) = 1 − Φ(z )
P (Z < − z ) = 1 − Φ(z )
P(Z > − z ) = Φ(z )
Drawing a sketch of the normal distribution will help find equivalent probabilities
Always consider whether the probability should be bigger or smaller then 0.5
How are z values found from the table of the normal distribution function?
To find the value of z for which P (Z ≤ z ) = p look for the value of p from within the table and
find the corresponding value of z
If the probability is given to 4 decimal places most of the time the value will exist
somewhere in the tables
Page 21 of 38
If your probability is 0.5 or greater look through the tables to find the corresponding z value YOUR NOTES
For P (Z < z ) ≥ 0. 5 use the z value found in the table 

For P (Z > z ) ≥ 0. 5 take the negative of the z value found in the table
If the probability is less than 0.5 you will need to subtract it from one before using the
tables to find the corresponding z value
For P (Z < z ) < 0. 5 take the negative of the z value found in the table
For P (Z > z ) < 0. 5 use the z value found in the table
Always draw a sketch so that you can see these clearly
The formula booklet also contains a table of the critical values of z for P (Z > z ) = p
This gives z values to 4 decimal places for common probabilities
The probabilities in this table are 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, 0.15, 0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.01, 0.005,
0.001 and 0.0005.
 Worked Example
(a)
By sketching a graph and using the table of the normal distribution, find the
following:
(i)
P(Z ≤ 0 . 96)
(ii)
P(Z > 0 . 96)
(iii)
P(Z ≤ − 0 . 96)
(iv)
P( − 0 . 96 < Z ≤ 0 . 96)
(b)
Find the value of z such that P (Z < z) = 0 . 7
(a)
By sketching a graph and using the table of the normal distribution, find the following:
(i)
P(Z ≤ 0 . 96)
(ii)
P(Z > 0 . 96)
(iii)
P(Z ≤ − 0 . 96)
(iv)
P( − 0 . 96 < Z ≤ 0 . 96)
Page 22 of 38
YOUR NOTES
Page 23 of 38
(b) YOUR NOTES
Find the value of z such that P(Z < z) = 0 . 7 
 Exam Tip
A sketch will always help you to visualise the required probability and can be
used to check your answer
Check whether the area shaded is more or less than 50% and compare this with
your answer
Page 24 of 38
3.2.3 Normal Distribution - Calculations YOUR NOTES

Throughout this section we will use the random variable . For normal, X can take
X ∼ N(μ , σ 2)
any real number. Therefore any values mentioned in this section will be assumed to be any real
number.
Page 25 of 38
Calculating Normal Probabilities YOUR NOTES
How do I find probabilities using a normal distribution? 

The area under a normal curve between the points x = a and x = b is equal to the
probability P(a < X < b )
Remember for a normal distribution P (a ≤ X ≤ b ) = P (a < X < b ) so you do not need to
worry about whether the inequality is strict (< or >) or weak (≤ or ≥)
The equation of a normal distribution curve is complicated so the area must be calculated
numerically
You will be expected to standardise all normal distributions to z and use the table of the
normal distribution to find the probabilities
It is likely that your calculator has a function that can find normal probabilities, if so it is
a good idea to learn to use it so that you can check your probabilities
However you must show your calculations to get the z values and use the tables to get
all the marks
How do I calculate the probability for a normal distribution?
A random variable X ∼ N(μ ,σ 2) can be coded to model the standard normal distribution
Z ∼ N(0,12) using the formula
X −μ
Z=
σ
⎛ x − μ ⎞⎟
You can calculate a probability P(X < x ) using the relationship P (X < x ) = P ⎜⎜ Z < ⎟
⎝ σ ⎠
Always sketch a quick diagram to visualise which area you are looking for
Once you have determined the z value use the table of the normal distribution to find the
probability
Refer to your sketch to decide if you need to subtract the probability from one
The probability of a single value is always zero for a normal distribution
You can picture this as the area of a single line is zero
P (X = x ) = 0
P (X < μ ) = P (X > μ ) = 0 . 5
You can look at which side of the mean x is on and the direction of the inequality to
decide if your answer should be greater or less than 0.5
As P(X = a ) = 0 you can use:
P(X < a ) + P(X > a ) = 1
⎛ a −μ
⎞⎟
P (X > a ) = 1 − P (X < a ) = 1 − Φ ⎜⎜ ⎟
⎝ σ ⎠
⎛ b − μ ⎟⎞ ⎛ a − μ ⎞⎟
P(a < X < b ) = P(X < b ) − P(X < a ) = Φ ⎜⎜ ⎟ − Φ ⎜⎜ ⎟
⎝ σ ⎠ ⎝ σ ⎠
Page 26 of 38
YOUR NOTES
 Worked Example

The random variable X ∼ N(20,52) . Calculate:
(a)
P(X ≤ 22) ,
(b)
P (18 ≤ X ≤ 27)
(a)
P(X ≤ 22) ,
(b)
P (18 ≤ X ≤ 27)
Page 27 of 38
Inverse Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES
Given the value of P(X < a) or P(X > a) how do I find the value of a? 
Given a probability you will have to look through the table of the normal distribution to
locate the z-value that corresponds with that probability
Look at whether your probability is greater or less than 0.5 and the direction of the
inequality to determine whether your z-value will be positive or negative
If P (X < a ) is more than 0.5 or P (X > a ) is less than 0.5 then a should be bigger than the
mean
z will be positive
If P (X < a ) is less than 0.5 or P (X > a ) is more than 0.5 then a should be smaller than
the mean
z will be negative
You do not need to remember these, a sketch will help you see it
Always sketch a diagram
If your probability is less than 0.5 you will need to subtract it from one to find the
corresponding z value
Remember that the position of the z-value will not change, only the direction of the
inequality
a −μ
Once you have the correct value substitute it into the formula z = and solve to find
σ
the value of a
Always check that your answer makes sense by considering where a is in relation to the
mean
Given the value of P(µ- a < X < µ + a) I find the value of a ?
A sketch making use of the symmetry of the graph is essential
⎛ 100 + α ⎟⎞
If you are given P (μ − a < X < μ + a ) = α % then P (X < μ + a ) will be ⎜⎜ ⎟%
⎝ 2 ⎠
This is easier to see from a sketch than to remember
Page 28 of 38
You can then look through the tables for the corresponding z-value and substitute into YOUR NOTES
(μ + a ) − μ a
the formula z= = 
σ σ
 Worked Example
The random variable W ∼ N(50, 36) .
Find the value of w such that P (W > w ) = 0 . 7673
 Exam Tip
The most common mistake students make when finding values from given
probabilities is forgetting to check whether the z-value should be negative or
not. Avoid this by checking early on using a sketch whether z is positive or
negative and writing a note to yourself before starting the other calculations.
Page 29 of 38
3.2.4 Finding Sigma and Mu YOUR NOTES
Page 30 of 38
Finding Sigma and Mu YOUR NOTES
How do I find the mean (μ) or the standard deviation (σ) if one of them is 
unknown?
If the mean or standard deviation of the X ∼ N (μ ,σ 2) is unknown then you will need to use
the standard normal distribution
You will need to use the formula
x −μ
z= or its rearranged form x = μ + σz
σ
You will be given a probability for a specific value of x (P (X < x ) = p or P (X > x ) = p )
To find the unknown parameter:
STEP 1: Sketch the normal curve
Label the known value and the mean
STEP 2: Find the z-value for the given value of x
Use the table of the Normal Distribution to find the value of z such that P (Z < z ) = p or
P (Z > z ) = p
Make sure the direction of the inequality for Z is consistent with X
The table gives the z-value to four decimal places to avoid rounding errors
Use the sketch to help you decide whether your z value is positive or negative
You should use the 4 decimal places throughout your calculations so that your
final answer can be rounded to 3 significant figures
x −μ
STEP 3: Substitute the known values into z = or x = μ + σz
σ
You will be given x and one of the parameters (μ or σ) in the question
You will have calculated z in STEP 2
STEP 4: Solve the equation
How do I find the mean (μ) and the standard deviation (σ) if both of them are
unknown?
If both of them are unknown then you will be given two probabilities for two specific values
of x
The process is the same as above
You will now be able to calculate two z-values
You can form two equations (rearranging to the form x = μ + σz is helpful)
You now have to solve the two equations simultaneously
Be careful not to mix up which z-value goes with which value of x
 Worked Example
It is known that the times, in minutes, taken by students at a school to eat their
lunch can be modelled using a normal distribution with mean μ minutes and
standard deviation σ minutes.
Given that 10% of students at the school take less than 12 minutes to eat their lunch
and 5% of the students take more than 40 minutes to eat their lunch, find the mean
and standard deviation of the time taken by the students at the school.
Page 31 of 38
YOUR NOTES
 Exam Tip
These questions are normally given in context so make sure you identify the key
words in the question. Check whether your z-values are positive or negative
and be careful with signs when rearranging.
Page 32 of 38
Page 33 of 38
Page 34 of 38
Page 35 of 38
Page 36 of 38
Page 37 of 38
Page 38 of 38

International AS Maths Edexcel: 3. Statistical Distributions

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

International AS Maths Edexcel: 3. Statistical Distributions

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Head to savemyexams.

com for more awesome resources

International AS Maths Edexcel 

3.1 Discrete Random Variables YOUR NOTES

Discrete Random Variables

Probability Distributions (Discrete) YOUR NOTES

What is a probability distribution? 

Cumulative Probabilities (Discrete) YOUR NOTES

How do I calculate probabilities using a discrete probability distribution? 

3.1.2 E(X) & Var(X) (Discrete) YOUR NOTES

Is E(X²) equal to (E(X))²?

What does Var(X) mean and how do I calculate Var(X)?

3.1.3 aX+b YOUR NOTES

3.1.4 Discrete Uniform Distribution YOUR NOTES

What is the mean and variance of a discrete uniform distribution?

For example: Y = 2, 5, 8, 11 can be transformed to X = 1, 2, 3, 4 using Y = 3X - 1 YOUR NOTES

What can be modelled using a discrete uniform distribution? 

(a) Find E (T ) .

(b) Find Var (T ) .

3.2 Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

Properties of Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

The binomial distribution is an example of a discrete probability distribution. The normal 

What are the important properties of a normal distribution? YOUR NOTES

Modelling with Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

What can be modelled using a normal distribution? 

3.2.2 Standard Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

Standard Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

What is the standard normal distribution? 

Why is the standard normal distribution important?

Probabilities are related by:

For P (Z < z ) ≥ 0. 5 use the z value found in the table 

(b) YOUR NOTES

Find the value of z such that P(Z < z) = 0 . 7 

3.2.3 Normal Distribution - Calculations YOUR NOTES

Calculating Normal Probabilities YOUR NOTES

How do I find probabilities using a normal distribution? 

Inverse Normal Distribution YOUR NOTES

3.2.4 Finding Sigma and Mu YOUR NOTES

Finding Sigma and Mu YOUR NOTES

You might also like