T H E N O R M A L P R O B A B IL IT Y D IS T R IB U T IO N

The s ta n d a rd n o r m a l d is t r ib u t io n is a n o r m a l p r o b a b ilit y d is t r ib u t io n w it h 
= 0 a n d  = 1 , a n d t h e t o t a l a r e a u n d e r it s d e n s it y c u r v e is e q u a l t o 1 .

T h e f o u r p r o p e r t ie s o f t h e n o r m a l c u r v e :

1. T h e x - v a lu e s , t e r m s , o b s e r v a t io n s , o r s c o r e s t e n d t o c lu s t e r a r o u n d t h e
c e n t e r , o r t h e z e r o z - v a lu e .
2. The c u rv e ta p e rs o f f s y m m e t r ic a lly , s t a r t in g a t th e peak to w a rd s th e
e x tre m e s o f th e c u rv e .
3. The n o r m a l d is t r ib u t io n c u r v e d o e s n o t m e e t t h e b a s e lin e . F o r a lm o s t
a ll p u rp o s e s , d is t a n c e s w it h in 3z a re s u f f ic ie n t because such z
d is t a n c e a c t u a lly in c lu d e 9 9 . 4 7 % o f th e to ta l n u m b e r o f c a s e s .
4. In t h e n o r m a l c u r v e o r n o r m a l d is t r ib u t io n , t h e m e a n , t h e m e d ia n , a n d
th e m ode f a ll a t t h e s a m e p o in t ; t h a t p o in t r e p r e s e n t s t h e p e a k o f t h e
c u rv e .

T h e a r e a u n d e r t h e n o r m a l c u r v e is :
= 1 in t e r m s o f p r o b a b ilit y
= 100% in t e r m s o f p e r c e n t a g e

A re a u n d e r th e
n o rm a l c u rv e

T h e a re a u n d e r th e n o rm a l c u rv e b e tw e e n  1 z = 2 (0 .3 4 1 3 ) or 2 (3 4 .1 3 % )
= 0 .6 8 2 6 or 6 8 .2 6 %

If N = 1 0 0 s tu d e n ts

3 4 .1 3 % 3 4 .1 3 %  1z = 6 8 s tu d e n ts

-1 z 0 + 1z

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T h e a re a u n d e r th e n o rm a l c u rv e b e tw e e n  2 z = 2 (0 .4 7 7 2 ) or 2 (4 7 .7 2 % )
= 0 .9 5 4 4 or 9 5 .4 4 %

If N = 1 0 0 s tu d e n ts

 2z = 9 5 s tu d e n ts
4 7 .7 2 % 4 7 .7 2 %

-2 z 0 + 2z

T h e a re a u n d e r th e n o rm a l c u rv e b e tw e e n  3 z = 2 (0 .4 9 8 7 ) or 2 (4 9 .8 7 % )
= 0 .9 9 7 4 or 9 9 .7 4 %

If N = 1 0 0 s tu d e n ts
 3z = 9 9 .7 ~ 1 0 0
4 9 .8 7 % 4 9 .8 7 %

-3 z 0 + 3z

A p p lic a t io n s o f t h e N o r m a l P r o b a b ilit y C u r v e
a. To d e t e r m in e th e p e rc e n ta g e of cases, p r o b a b ilit y in a n o r m a l d is t r ib u t io n
w it h in g iv e n lim it s .
b. To f in d th e lim it s in a n y n o r m a l d is t r ib u t io n w h ic h in c lu d e a g iv e n p e r c e n t a g e
o f a re a s .

E x a m p le
I n a r e a d in g a b ilit y t e s t , w it h a s a m p le o f 1 2 0 c a s e s , t h e m e a n s c o r e is 4 4
a n d t h e s t a n d a r d d e v ia t io n is 4 . A s s u m in g n o r m a lit y :

a) W h a t p e r c e n t a g e o f c a s e s f a lls b e t w e e n t h e m e a n a n d a s c o r e o f 5 0 ?
N ?

( x  x) (50  44)
F o r m u la : z =
 4

z = 1 .5

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 R e f e r t o t h e T a b le w h e n z = 1 . 5 , o b t a in 4 3 . 3 2 %

P r o b a b ilit y = . 4 3 3 2

N = 1 2 0 (0 .4 3 3 2 ) = 5 2

4 3 .3 2 %
N = 52

0 1 .5 

b) W hat is th e p r o b a b ilit y th a t a s c o re p ic k e d a t ra n d o m w ill lie above

s c o re 5 0 ? N ?

C o n v e r t s c o r e 5 0 t o s ig m a ( ) s c o re

(50  44)
z =
4
z = 1 .5

R e f e r t o t h e T a b le w h e n z = 1 . 5 , o b t a in .4 3 3 2

0 .4 3 3 2
0 .0 6 6 8

0 1 .5 
P r o b a b ilit y = 0 .5 0 – 0 .4 3 3 2

= .0 6 6 8

N = 1 2 0 (.0 6 6 8 ) = 8

c) W hat is th e p r o b a b ilit y th a t a s c o re p ic k e d at ra n d o m w ill lie b e lo w

s c o re 5 0 ? N ?

C o n v e r t s c o r e 5 0 t o s ig m a ( ) s c o re

(50  44)
z =
4
z = 1 .5

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 R e f e r t o t h e T a b le w h e n z = 1 . 5 , o b t a in .4 3 3 2 .

0 .5 0 0 .4 3 3 2
0 .0 6 6 8

0 1 .5 

P r o b a b ilit y = 0 .5 0 + 0 .4 3 3 2

= .9 3 3 2

N = 1 2 0 (.9 3 3 2 ) = 112

d) H ow m a n y c a s e s f a ll b e t w e e n s c o r e s 4 6 a n d 5 2 ?

C o n v e r t e a c h s c o r e t o s ig m a ( ) s c o re

(46  44)
z = = 0 .5 0 
4
(52  44)
z = = 2 .0 0 
4

R e f e r t o t h e T a b le w h e n z = 2 .0 0 , o b t a in .4 7 7 2

z = 0 .5 0 , o b t a in .1 9 1 5

.4 7 7 2 (1 2 0 ) = 57
.1 9 1 5 (1 2 0 ) = 23
D if f e r e n c e = 34

0 .5  2 .0 

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 P o s s ib le d is t r ib u t io n o f th e 120 c a s e s u n d e r th e n o rm a l c u rv e . T a k e n o te
o f th e s y m m e t r ic a l n u m b e r s f o r t h e b o t h s id e s o f t h e c u r v e . T h a t is 3 a n d 3 , 1 6
a n d 1 6 , 4 1 a n d 4 1 f o r t h e o p p o s it e s id e s o f t h e c u r v e .

41 41
16 16
3 3

-3 z -2 z -1 z 0 + 1z + 2z + 3z

To f in d th e lim it s in any n o rm a l d is t r ib u t io n w h ic h in c lu d e a g iv e n
p e rc e n ta g e o f c a s e s .

e ) W h a t lim it s w ill in c lu d e t h e m id d le 7 0 % of case s?

S o lu t io n :

D iv id e 7 0 by 2 70  2 = 35 c o n v e r t t o p r o b a b ilit y .3 5 0 0

F ro m T a b le , o b t a in z =  1 .0 4  ( . 3 5 0 8 b e in g t h e n e a r e s t t o . 3 5 0 0 , t h e n
u s e 1 .0 4 )

C o n v e rt th e z -s c o re  1 .0 4  to ra w s c o re .

( x  x)
F o r m u la : z

( x  44)
 1 .0 4 =
4

x+ = 4 8 .1 6

x = 3 9 .8 4

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 P R O B LE M S E T

P r o b le m 1
In an e n tra n c e te s t of 1 20 s tu d e n ts , th e m ean s c o re w as 60 w it h a
s t a n d a r d d e v ia t io n o f 5 . A s s u m in g n o r m a lit y :

a) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 5 8 a n d 7 0 ?
b) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 4 4 a n d 5 6 ?
c) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 5 2 a n d 7 2 ?
d) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s a b o v e 6 4 ?
e) H ow m a n y s t u d e n t s g o t s c o r e s b e lo w 50?
f) W h a t lim it s w ill in c lu d e t h e m id d le 6 0 % o f th e c a s e s ?

P r o b le m 2
In an e n tra n c e te s t of 1 50 s tu d e n ts , th e m ean s c o re w as 70 w it h a
s t a n d a r d d e v ia t io n o f 4 . A s s u m in g n o r m a lit y :

a) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 7 3 a n d 8 1 ?
b) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 6 1 a n d 6 8 ?
c) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 6 2 a n d 8 0 ?
d) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s a b o v e 7 5 ?
e) H ow m a n y s t u d e n t s g o t s c o r e s b e lo w 65?
f) W h a t lim it s w ill in c lu d e t h e m id d le 4 0 % o f th e c a s e s ?

P r o b le m 3
In an e n tra n c e te s t of 200 s tu d e n ts , th e m ean s c o re w as 60 w it h a
s t a n d a r d d e v ia t io n o f 8 . A s s u m in g n o r m a lit y :

a) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 6 4 a n d 8 2 ?
b) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s b e tw e e n 4 5 a n d 5 8 ?
c) H ow m a n y s t u d e n t s g o t s c o r e s b e lo w 55?
d) H ow m a n y s tu d e n ts g o t s c o re s a b o v e 7 5 ?
e) W h a t lim it s w ill in c lu d e t h e m id d le 3 0 % o f th e c a s e s ?

P r o b le m 4
I n a p o p u la t io n o f 1 5 0 p e r s o n s , t h e m e a n w e ig h t is 4 8 k ilo g r a m s a n d t h e
s t a n d a r d d e v ia t io n is 5 . A s s u m in g n o r m a lit y :
a) H ow m a n y p e r s o n s w e ig h le s s t h a n 5 0 k g s ? (9 8 .3 1 ~ 9 8 )
b) H ow m a n y p e r s o n s w e ig h le s s t h a n 4 5 k g s ? (4 1 .1 5 ~ 4 1 )
c) H ow m a n y p e r s o n s w e ig h m o r e t h a n 4 6 k g s ? (9 8 .3 1 ~ 9 8 )
d) H ow m a n y p e r s o n s w e ig h m o r e t h a n 5 1 k g s ? (4 1 .1 5 ~ 4 1 )
e) H ow m a n y p e r s o n s w e ig h b e t w e e n 4 7 a n d 4 9 k g s ? (2 3 .7 9 ~ 2 4 )

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A p p lic a t io n p r o b le m ( T r io la , 2 0 0 6 )
W hen d e s ig n in g th e p la c e m e n t o f a C D p la y e r in a new c a r , e n g in e e r s
m ust c o n s id e r th e fo rw a rd g r ip re a c h o f th e d r iv e r . I f t h e C D p la y e r is p la c e d
b e y o n d t h e f o r w a r d g r ip r e a c h , t h e d r iv e r m u s t m o v e h is o r h e r b o d y in a w a y t h a t
c o u ld b e d is t r a c t in g a n d d a n g e r o u s . D e s ig n e n g in e e r s d e c id e t h a t t h e C D s h o u ld
be p la c e d so t h a t it is w it h in th e fo rw a rd g r ip re a c h of 95% of w om en. W om en
have fo rw a rd g r ip re a c h e s th a t a re n o r m a lly d is t r ib u t e d w it h a m ean o f 2 7 . 0 in .
and a s ta n d a rd d e v ia t io n o f 1 .3 in . F in d th e fo rw a rd g r ip re a c h of w om en th a t
s e p a r a t e s t h e lo n g e s t 9 5 % fro m th e o th e rs .

A re a = 0 .9 5

0 .0 5 f o r w a r d g r ip r e a c h
x
x = ? 2 7 .0
z = -1 .6 4 5
S o lu t io n :
S u b tra c t: 1 – 0 .9 5 = 0 .0 5

0 .5 0 – 0 .0 5 = .4 5  .4 4 9 5

O b t a in z = 1 . 6 4 f r o m t h e t a b le

U s in g t h e f o r m u la

(x  )
z

x  27
1.64 
1.3

μ = 2 4 . 8 6 8 in .

P r o b le m
E n g in e e r s m ust c o n s id e r th e b re a d th s of m a le heads w hen d e s ig n in g
m o t o r c y c le h e lm e t s . M e n h a v e h e a d b r e a d t h s t h a t a r e n o r m a lly d is t r ib u t e d w it h a
m ean o f 6 .0 in . a n d a s ta n d a rd d e v ia t io n o f 1 .0 in . D u e t o f in a n c ia l c o n s t r a in t s ,
th e h e lm e t s w ill b e d e s ig n e d to f it a ll m e n e x c e p t t h o s e w it h h e a d b r e a d t h s t h a t
a r e in t h e s m a lle s t 2 . 5 % o r la r g e s t 2 . 5 % . F in d t h e m in im u m a n d m a x im u m head
b r e a d t h s t h a t t h e h e lm e t s w ill f it .

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