Lesson 2

convert a normal random

variable to a standard
normal variable and vice
versa; and

compute probabilities and

percentiles using the
standard normal table.
The standard score or z-score measures how
many standard deviation a given value (x) is
above or below the mean. The z-scores are
useful in comparing observed values. A positive
z-score indicates that the score or observed
value is above the mean, whereas a negative z-
score indicates that the score or observed value
is below the mean.
A. For Samples:
𝒙−𝒙ഥ
𝒛=
𝒔
Where:
𝑧 = standard score
𝑥 = raw score or observed value
𝑥ҧ = sample mean
𝑠 = sample standard deviation
B. For Population:
𝒙−𝝁
𝒛=
𝝈
Where:
𝑧 = standard score
𝑥 = raw score or observed value
𝜇 = population mean
𝜎 = population standard deviation
EXAMPLE 1
 SOLUTION:
𝒙−𝒙ഥ
𝒛 =
𝒔
𝟔𝟎−𝟕𝟓
=
𝟏𝟐
= −𝟏. 𝟐𝟓

This means that 60 is 1.25 standard

deviation below the mean.
EXAMPLE 2
 SOLUTION:
𝒙−𝝁
𝒛 =
𝝈
𝟖𝟖−𝟕𝟎
=
𝟗
=𝟐

This means that 88 is 2 standard deviation

above the mean.
EXAMPLE 3
 SOLUTION for English:
𝒙−𝒙ഥ
𝒛 =
𝒔
𝟗𝟎−𝟖𝟎
=
𝟏𝟎
=𝟏

This means that 60 is 1.25 standard

deviation below the mean.
 SOLUTION for Physics:
𝒙−𝒙ഥ
𝒛 =
𝒔
𝟕𝟎−𝟔𝟎
=
𝟖
= 𝟏. 𝟐𝟓
Her standing in Physics was better than her standing
in English. Her score in English was one standard
deviation above the mean of the scores in English
whereas in Physics, her score was 1.25 standard
deviation above the mean of the scores in Physics.
EXAMPLE 4
 SOLUTION for a:
1. Convert the score 48 to z-score.
ഥ
𝒙−𝒙
𝒛=
𝒔
𝟒𝟖−𝟒𝟐
=
𝟓
= 𝟏. 𝟐
 SOLUTION for a:
2. Sketch the normal curve.
Let A = area to the right of z = 1.2
A1 = area between z = 0 and z = 1.2
A2 = area of the half of the curve
From the table:
A1 = 0.3849
A = A2 - A1
= 0.5 – 0.3849
= 0.1151
Hence, 11.51% of the scores is greater than 48.
 SOLUTION for b:
1. Convert the score 50 to z-score.
ഥ
𝒙−𝒙
𝒛=
𝒔
𝟓𝟎−𝟒𝟐
=
𝟓
= 𝟏. 𝟔
 SOLUTION for b:
2. Sketch the normal curve.
Let A = area below z = 1.6
A1 = area of the half of the curve
A2 = area between z = 0 and z = 1.6
From the table:
A2 = 0.4452
A = A1 + A2
= 0.5 + 0.4452
= 0.9452 or 94.52%
Hence, 94.52% of the scores is less than 50.
 SOLUTION for c:
1. Convert the score 30 to z-score.
ഥ
𝒙−𝒙
𝒛=
𝒔
𝟑𝟎−𝟒𝟐
=
𝟓
= −𝟐. 𝟒
 SOLUTION for c:
1. Convert the score 48 to z-score.
ഥ
𝒙−𝒙
𝒛=
𝒔
𝟒𝟖−𝟒𝟐
=
𝟓
= 𝟏. 𝟐
 SOLUTION for b:
2. Sketch the normal curve.
Let A = area between z = -2.4 and z = 1.2
A1 = area between z = 0 and z = -2.4
A2 = area between z = 0 and z = 1.2
From the table:
A1 = 0.4918
A2 = 0.3849
A = A1 + A2
= 0.4918 + 0.3849
= 0.8767 or 87.67%
Hence, 87.67% of the scores are between 30 and
48.
Any Questions?