UNDERSTANDING

THE Z – SCORES
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
◦ Relate a random variable distribution to a normal variable
distribution;
◦ Understand the concept of the z – score:
◦ Convert a random variable to a standard normal variable and
vice – versa;
◦ Solve problems involving random and normal variables.
Let’s check your readiness!
ENTRY CARD
A. Determine whether the statement is True or False by checking ( ) the appropriate box. If false, modify the
statement to make it true.
Statement True False
1. The normal curve is a bell – shaped probability distribution.
2. At the base of a normal curve, there are six standard deviations expressed as z.
3. The tails of the curve touches the baseline so that the curve can cover 100% of the area under
it.
4. The skewness of the normal curve is 0.
5. The probability that a random score occurs between z = 1 and z = 0.
6. The probability that a random score occurs between z = 1 and z = 0 is .6826
The z – score is, in fact a standard deviation value.
Remember!

◦z – score is a measure of relative standing. These

scores represent distances from the center measured
in standard deviation units.
◦There are six z – scores at the base line of the
normal curve; three z – scores to the left of the mean
and three z – scores to the right of the mean.
The z - score
◦ The areas under the normal curve are given in terms of z – values or scores. Either the z –
score locates X within a sample or within a population.
◦ The formula for calculating z is:
z= (z – score for population data)

z= (z – score for sample data

Where:X - given measurement
– population mean
– population standard deviation
– sample mean
s – sample standard deviation
What is the importance of the z – scores?
◦ Raw scores may be composed of large values, but large values cannot be accommodated
at the base line of the normal curve. So, they have to be transformed into scores for
inconvenience without sacrificing meanings associated with the raw scores.

◦ The z – values are matched with specific areas under the normal curve in a normal
distribution table. Therefore, if we wish to find the percentage associated with X, we must
find its matched z – value using the z – formula. The z – value leads to the area under the
curve found in the normal curve table, which is a probability, and that probability gives
the percentage for X.
EXAMPLES:
1. Reading Scores
Given the mean, = 50 and the standard deviation, = 4 of a population of Reading
Scores. Find the z – value that corresponds to a score X = 58.

Steps Solution
1. Use the computing formula for finding z – scores of z=
population data.
2. Check the given values. Since these are population
values, the z – score locates X within a population.
3. Substitute the given values in the computing formula z=

4. Compute the z – value. z= thus, the z value that corresponds to the raw score 58 is
2 in a population distribution.