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The standard normal distribution is special type of normal distribution for a continuous
random variable Z with a common dimension. This is the distribution upon which our zscores convert to, if you will.
In the standard normal distribution
mean=median=mode
sd=1 and mean =0
In the SND we also have a formula to convert any raw score to a z score. The most
common z score formula is for population data below but we have more
z=
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Z score formulas
Population data (most common)
x
z=
test score
x
Mean
management
service
computers
writing
90
75
60
81
90
80
50
76
SD
5
10
5
10
We did a whole lot of algebra at the end of lecture 12 (Normal Curve). And figured out that the
persons score were best in computers, followed by writing, management, and service
1. computers
2. writing
3. management
4. customer service
But we can use the z formula to avoid all that algebra. Simply plug the information in to the z formula.
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x
z=
management
score (x)=
mean=
sd=
90
90
5
z=
x-mean=
sd
90
90
0
5
75
80
10
z=
x-mean=
sd
75
10
80
-5
10
-0.5
score (x)=
mean=
sd=
60
50
5
z=
x-mean=
sd
60
50
10
5
writing
score (x)=
mean=
sd=
81
76
10
z=
x-mean=
sd
81
10
76
5
10
0.5
service
score (x)=
mean=
sd=
computers
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score of 0 = the score is right on the mean. See the book for the best pictures, but one is
included below.
source: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/class/psychology/psy271/Weeks/psy271week06.htm
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Look at the picture below. Notice how the z-score and raw score can be on the same dimension. In
the picture below the z-score of 0 is the same as the mean for the t-score line of 50. Thus pretend the
t-score line is the x or raw score dimension where the mean = 50 and a SD=10. On the z
dimension the mean =0 and every standard deviation is expressed as a unit of one. That is why the
z-score of +1 (1 SD above the mean) is equivalent to a raw score (t-score) of 60. In the raw score
dimension the mean is 50 and every standard deviation is 10. So the mean +1 SD = 50+10=60.
source: www.psychometric-success.com/images/PT0502.gif
=50
= 10
z=
x 50 50 0
= = 0 (see how z-score of 0 falls right on the mean?)
=
10
10
X=60
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=50
= 10
x 60 50 10
z=
= = 1 (see how z-score of +1 is 1 SD above the mean?)
=
10
10
X=40
=50
= 10
z=
x 40 50 10
=
=
10
10 = 1 (see how z-score of -1 is 1 SD below the
mean?)
Once you have a z score you can look it up in a table and find out the area between the z
score and the mean under the standard normal distribution curve (normal curve). Look at our
book. Some z score tables give you the area under the curve between the mean and the zscore. In the picture below .3413 or 34.13% of the whole curve lies between the mean and a
z score of +1.
source: http://genome.imim.es/~eeyras/courses/MasterUPF/SplicingRegulation/
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Some z tables give the area under the curve from the z-score out towards the tails of the
curve. In the picture below, the area from a score of 1.2 out to the tails of the curve is 0.1151
or 11.51% of the whole area under the curve.
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source: http://genome.imim.es/~eeyras/courses/MasterUPF/SplicingRegulation/
FOR INPERSON CLASS (online can ignore but you will become familiar with these z-scores
as you do practice problems in this class:
two very important z scores are 95 and 99%
95% z=1.96= .4750 draw
99% z=2.575 = .4950 draw
(note problem of 3 digits)
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Z table
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Practice
Everything that appears in these lecture notes are fair game for the test. They are the best study
guide I can provide. It is impossible to provide a list that is more comprehensive than the lecture
notes above. There are practice problems here in this lecture and additional practice problems in the
lecture 13b: practice problems (13b_practice.pdf) associated with this lecture.
.00
.01
.02
.03
0.0
.0000
.0040
.0080
.0120
0.1
.0398
.0438
.0478
.0517
0.2
.0793
.0832
.0871
.0910
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As you will see the area of . 4500 or 45% will be used a lot in this course. But you cant find it in a ztable that only gives you two digits (100ths). The area for .4500 is somewhere between the z-scores
of 1.64 and 1.65. See part of the table below:
z
.00
.01
.02
.03
.04
.05
1.6
.4452
.4463
.4474
.4484
.4495
.4505
What do you do? You take a mean of the two scores. I will show you the math below, but the easy
way is to add a 0.005 to the end of the smaller z-score: 1.64 +0.005=1.645. So add a five to the
end of the smallest z-score. Here is the math
1.64 +1.65/2= 3.29/2=1.645.
1. What is the area under the curve for a z-score of -1.0? (draw a picture)
2. What is the area under the curve between .5 and 1.2? (Hint: you have to use subtraction to solve
this problem.)
3. Which z-score will have a greater area under the curve -- .2 or 1.5? (Hint: draw a picture)
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answers:
1. 34.13%
3. 1.5
1. The scores on the SAT test are normally distributed and thus resemble the shape of the z
table. What is probability that a SAT test score selected at random will fall within plus or
minus 1 sd from the mean? How about for SAT test score of plus or minus two 2?
2. We have a randomly selected raw score=50 mean=40 sd=10 what is the z score and
what is area under the curve to right of this score?
3. Random raw score 80 mean =50 sd=10 This test score is better than what percentage
of all scores?
a. x1 =80 mean=60 sd=10 x2=40 mean=45 sd=5 which score is better?
b. using the answers in 3a., what is the area under the curve between these two z
scores?
4. The area of .1700 lies under the curve of a NEGATIVE z score. What is that z score?
5. The C&C of Honolulu regularly gives fitness tests to applicants to be lifeguards. They
only want to take fittest 20% of all applicants. The scores are normally distributed with a
mean = 120 and sd 10. What is the cutoff score for these applicants. x= + z
6. The scores on the SAT test are normally distributed with mean =500 and sd=100. Your
professor in this class scored 500 in math and 450 in verbal. What are his z scores for
each test?
7. What percentage of people who took the SAT scored better than your professor on math?
Conversely, what percentage of people did your professor score better than on math?
What percentage of people who took the SAT scored better than your professor in verbal?
Conversely, what percentage of people did your professor score better than on verbal?
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2. ANSWER z=1
answer out is
50-34.13- 15.87
3. test score the z=3 and it is better than 99.87% of all scores (.4987+.5=99.87)
3a. x1 is better score because its z=2 and its two SD above mean. x2 has a z score of -1.
3b. .4772+.3413=.8185 or 81.85% [ Z1=+2 (.4772) Z2= -1 (.3413).]
4. -.44
5. x= + z
x= 120 + .845 (10) = 128.45
128.45 is the test score cut off
!!!!!""
!"#!!""
!!!"
.5000
.5000
verbal: z-score of -0.5. Area from table = .1915 or 19.15%. So professor scored better than
people to the left of that. 50%-.19.15%= 30.85% He scored worse than 19.15% + the 50%
on the right side of curve = = 50 + 19.15 = 69.15%
.1915
.5000
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