The Empirical Rule

Also known as the 68—95—99.7 Rule

because these values describe the
distribution.

The empirical rule applies only to NORMAL

DISTRIBUTIONS!!!!!
The Empirical Rule
The Empirical Rule states that
• Approximately 68% of the data values fall within one
standard deviation of the mean

• Approximately 95% of the data values fall within 2

standard deviations of the mean

• Approximately 99.8% of the data values fall within 3

standard deviations of the mean
The Empirical Rule
68% of the observations fall within ±1
standard deviation around the mean.

68% of data

−1 𝑆 𝑥ҧ 1𝑆
The Empirical Rule
95% of the observations fall within ±2
standard deviation around the mean.

95% of data

−2 𝑆 −1 𝑆 𝑥ҧ 1𝑆 2𝑆
The Empirical Rule
99.7% of the observations fall within ±3
standard deviation around the mean.

99.7% of data

−3 𝑆 −2 𝑆 −1 𝑆 𝑥ҧ 1𝑆 2𝑆 3𝑆
The Empirical Rule
99.7% of data

95% of data

68% of data

𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆
Examples
Assume you have a normal distribution of test
scores with a mean of 82 and a standard
deviation of 6.

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15 % 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆
Examples
1. What percent of the data scores
were above a 76?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% .15%
2.4%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

64 70 76 82 88 94 100
Examples
2. 68% of the data fall between what
two scores?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

64 70 76 82 88 94 100
Examples
3. What percent of the data scores fall
between 70 and 100?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

64 70 76 82 88 94 100
Examples
4. How many standard deviations away
from the mean is 88, and in which
direction?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

64 70 76 82 88 94 100
Examples
5. How many standard deviations away
from the mean is 64, and in which
direction?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

64 70 76 82 88 94 100
Examples
A charity puts on a relay race to raise money.
The times of the finishes are normally
distributed with a mean of 53 minutes and a
standard deviation of 9.5 minutes.

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆
Examples
1. What percent of the data times were
between 34 and 81.5 minutes?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

24.5 34 43.5 53 62.5 72 81.5

Examples
2. 95% of the data fall between what
two times?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

24.5 34 43.5 53 62.5 72 81.5

Examples
3. What percent of the data times
were below 72 minutes?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15%
2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

24.5 34 43.5 53 62.5 72 81.5

Examples
4. How many standard deviations away
from the mean is 34 and in which
direction?

13.5% 34% 34% 13.5%

.15% 2.4% 2.4% .15%
𝑥ҧ − 3𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ − 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ 𝑥ҧ + 1𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 2𝑆 𝑥ҧ + 3𝑆

24.5 34 43.5 53 62.5 72 81.5