Chapter 6

The Normal Distribution

Section 6-3

The Standard Normal

Distribution
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-3

Exercise #7
Find the area under the normal distribution curve.
Between z = 0 and z = 0.75

0 0.75

area = 0.2734
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-3

Exercise #15
Find the area under the normal distribution curve.
between z = 0.79 and z = 1.28. The area is
found by looking up the values 0.79 and
1.28 in table E and subtracting the areas
as shown in Block 3 of the
Procedure Table.

0 0.79 1.28
0.3997 – 0.2852 = 0.1145
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-3

Exercise #31
Find probabilities, using the standard normal distribution
P(z > 2.83).The area is found by looking up z = 2.83 in
Table E then subtracting the area from 0.5
as shown in Block 2 of the
Procedure Table.

0 2.83

0.5 – 0.4977 = 0.0023

Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-3

Exercise #45
Find the z value that corresponds to the given area.
0.8962

z 0

0.8962 – 0.5 = 0.3962

Find the z value that corresponds to the given area.
0.8962

z 0
Using Table E, find the area 0.3962 and
read the correct z value [corresponding
to this area] to get 1.26. Finally,
because the z value lies to the left
of 0, z = – 1.26.
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6 - 4

Exercise #3
The average daily jail population in the United States
is 618,319. If the distribution is normal and the
standard deviation is 50,200, find the
probability that on a randomly selected
day, the jail population is…
a. Greater than 700,000.

b. Between 500,000 and 600,000.

a. Greater than 700,000
X –
700,000 – 618,319 z=
z= = 1.63 
50,200
P ( z > 1.63) = 0.5 – 0.4484
= 0.0516 or 5.16%

0 1.63
b. Between 500,000 and 600,000.
X –
500,000 – 618,319 z=
z = 50,200
= – 2.36 
area = 0.4909
600,000 – 618,319
z= 50,200 = – 0.36

area = 0.1406
b. Between 500,000 and 600,000.

area = 0.4909 area = 0.1406

P ( – 2.36 < z < – 0.36) = 0.4909 – 0.1406

= 0.3503 or 35.03%

– 2 .36 – 0.36
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-4

Exercise #11
The average credit card debt for college seniors is $3262.
If the debt is normally distributed with a standard deviation
of $1100, find these probabilities.
a. That the senior owes at least $1000
b. That the senior owes more than $4000
c. That the senior owes between
$3000 and $4000
a. That the senior owes at least $1000
X –
z=

1000 – 3262
z= = – 2.06
1100
area = 0.4803
P ( z  – 2.06) = 0.5 + 0.4803
= 0.9803 or 98.03%
a. That the senior owes at least $1000
0.9803 or 98.03%

– 2.06 0
b. That the senior owes more than $4000
X –
z=

4000 – 3262
z= 1100 = 0.67
area = 0.2486
P ( z > 0.67) = 0.5 – 0.2486
= 0.2514 or 25.14%
b. That the senior owes more than $4000
0.2514 or 25.14%

0 0.67
c. That the senior owes between $3000 and $4000.
X –
z=

3000 – 3262
z =
1100
= – 0.24

area = 0.0948

P ( – 0.24 < z < 0.67) = 0.0948 + 0.2486

= 0.3434 or 34.34%
c. That the senior owes between $3000 and $4000.
0.3434 or 34.34%

– 0.24 0 0.67
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-4

Exercise #27
An advertising company plans to market a product to
low-income families. A study states that for a particular
area, the average income per family is $24,596 and the
standard deviation is $6256. If the company plans to
target the bottom 18% of the families
based on income, find the cutoff
income. Assume the variable is
normally distributed.
The bottom 18% means that 32% of the area is between z
and 0. The corresponding z score will be .
– 0.92
X = – 0.92(6256) + 24,596
= $18,840.48

0.18
0.32

$18,840.48 $24,596
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-5

Exercise #13
The average price of a pound of sliced bacon is $2.02.
Assume the standard deviation is $0.08. If a random
sample of 40 one-pound packages is selected, find the
probability the the mean of the sample will
be less than $2.00.
X – 2.00 – 2.02
z= = = – 1.58
 0.08
n 40
area = 0.4429
P ( z < –1.58) = 0.5 – 0.4429
= 0.0571or 5.71%
The average price of a pound of sliced bacon is $2.02.
Assume the standard deviation is $0.08. If a random
sample of 40 one-pound packages is selected, find the
probability the the mean of the sample will
be less than $2.00.
0.0571 or 5.71%

$2.00 $2.02
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-5

Exercise #21
The average time it takes a group of adults to complete a
certain achievement test is 46.2 minutes. The standard
deviation is 8 minutes. Assume the variable is normally
distributed.
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.
a. Find the probability that a randomly
selected adult will complete the test
in less than 43 minutes.
b. Find the probability that, if
50 randomly selected adults take
the test, the mean time it takes the
group to complete the test will be
less than 43 minutes.
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.
c. Does it seem reasonable that an adult
would finish the test in less than
43 minutes? Explain.
d. Does it seem reasonable that the
mean of 50 adults could be less
than 43 minutes? Explain.
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

a. Find the probability that a randomly

selected adult will complete the test in
less than 43 minutes.

X – 43 – 46.2
z=  = = – 0.4
8
area = 0.1554
P ( z < – 0.4) = 0.5 – 0.1554
= 0.3446or 34.46%
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

0.3446or 34.46%

43 46.2
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

b. Find the probability that, if 50 randomly

selected adults take the test, the mean
time it takes the group to complete the
test will be less than 43 minutes.
z = 43 – 46.2 = – 2.83
8
50
area = 0.4977
P ( z < – 2.83) = 0.5 – 0.4977
= 0.0023or 0.23%
Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

0.0023or 0.23%

43 46.2
 Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

c. Does it seem reasonable that an

adult would finish the test in less
than 43 minutes? Explain.

Yes, since it is within one

standard deviation of the mean.
 Average time = 46.2 minutes, Standard deviation = 8 minutes,
variable is normally distributed.

d. Does it seem reasonable that the

mean of 50 adults could be less
than 43 minutes? Explain.

It is very unlikely, since the

probability would be less than 1%.
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-5

Exercise #23
The average cholesterol of a certain brand of eggs is 215
milligrams, and the standard deviation is 15 milligrams.
Assume the variable is normally distributed.

a. If a single egg is selected, find the

probability that the cholesterol
content will be greater than
220 milligrams.

b. If a sample of 25 eggs is selected,

find the probability that the mean
of the sample will be larger than
220 milligrams.
The average cholesterol of a certain brand of eggs is 215
milligrams, and the standard deviation is 15 milligrams.
Assume the variable is normally distributed.

If a single egg is selected, find the

probability that the cholesterol content
will be greater than 220 milligrams.
X – 220 – 215
z= = 15 = 0.33

area = 0.1293
P ( z > 0.33) = 0.5 – 0.1293
= 0.3707or 37.07%
The average cholesterol of a certain brand of eggs is 215
milligrams, and the standard deviation is 15 milligrams.
Assume the variable is normally distributed.

0.3707or 37.07%

215 220
The average cholesterol of a certain brand of eggs is 215
milligrams, and the standard deviation is 15 milligrams.
Assume the variable is normally distributed.

If a sample of 25 eggs is selected, find the

probability that the mean of the sample will
be larger than 220 milligrams.
X–  220 – 215
z= 
= = 1.67
15
n 25
area = 0.4525
The average cholesterol of a certain brand of eggs is 215
milligrams, and the standard deviation is 15 milligrams.
Assume the variable is normally distributed.

P ( z > 1.67) = 0.5 – 0.4525

= 0.0475 or 4.75%

215 220
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-6

Exercise #5
Two out of five adult smokers acquired the habit by age 14. If
400 smokers are randomly selected, find the probability that
170 or more acquired the habit by
age 14.
2
p = 5 = 0.4  = 400(0.4) = 160

 = (400)(0.4)(0.6) = 9.8

169.5 – 160
z= = 0.97
9.8
area = 0.3340
Two out of five adult smokers acquired the habit by age 14. If
400 smokers are randomly selected, find the probability that
170 or more acquired the habit by
age 14.

P ( X > 169.5) = 0.5 – 0.3340 = 0.1660

160 169.5
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-6

Exercise #7
The percentage of Americans 25 years or older who have
at least some college education is 50.9%. In a random
sample of 300 Americans 25 years and older, what is the
probability that more than 175 have at least some college
education?
 = 300(0.509) = 152.7

 = (300)(0.509)(0.491) = 8.66
175.5 – 152.7
z= = 2.63 area = 0.4957
8.66

P ( X > 175.5) = 0.5 – 0.4957 = 0.0043

The percentage of Americans 25 years or older who have
at least some college education is 50.9%. In a random
sample of 300 Americans 25 years and older, what is the
probability that more than 175 have at least some college
education?

P ( X > 175.5) = 0.5 – 0.4957 = 0.0043

152.7 175.5
Chapter 6
The Normal Distribution

Section 6-6

Exercise #11
Women comprise 83.3% of all elementary school teachers.
In a random sample of 300 elementary school teachers,
what is the probability that more than 50 are men?

 = 300(0.167) = 50.1

 = (300)(0.167)(0.833) = 6.46

50.5 – 50.1
z= = 0.06 area = 0.0239
6.46

P ( X > 50.5) = 0.5 – 0.0239 = 0.4761

Women comprise 83.3% of all elementary school teachers.
In a random sample of 300 elementary school teachers,
what is the probability that more than 50 are men?

P ( X > 50.5) = 0.5 – 0.0239 = 0.4761

50.1 50.5