Class 5: Standard Deviation

1) On a standardized test, scores range from 70 to 130. If the scores have a

normal distribution and the mean score is a 100, what is the standard
deviation?
.
2) Scores on a standardized test have a normal distribution. If the mean score
is 50 and the standard deviation is 5, what is the range from lowest to
highest possible scores?
A) 30 to 60
B) 35 to 65
C) 45 to 65
D) 45 to 55
E) 40 to 60

3) Scores on a standardized test have a normal distribution and range from 0

to 120 with a standard deviation of 20 points. What is the mean score on
the test?
A) 20
B) 30
C) 40
D) 60
E) 120
4) Scores on a standardized test have a normal distribution. If the mean score
is a 60 and 32 out of the 200 test takers score a 70 or above, what is the
standard deviation?
A) 10
B) 20
C) 32
D) 40

E) 50

5) Scores on a standardized test have a normal distribution. If 2% of the test

takers score below a 22, the sum of the scores of all test takers is 7,200,
and the mean score is 24, how many test takers score above a 25?
A) 6
B) 16
C) 32
D) 48
E) 300
6) In a college class, students heights range from 60 to 72 inches. If the
heights have a normal distribution and the mean height is 66 inches, what
is the standard deviation?
.
7) In an elementary school, students heights have a normal distribution. If the
mean height is 55 inches and the standard deviation is 1 inch, what is the
range from lowest to highest heights?
A) 50 to 58
B) 50 to 60
C) 48 to 60
D) 52 to 58
E) 52 to 60

8) In a middle school, students heights have a normal distribution and range

from 56 to 65 with a standard deviation of 1.5 inches. What is the mean
student height?
A) 57.5
B) 59
C) 60.5
D) 62
E) 63.5

9) In a high school, students heights have a normal distribution. If the mean

height is 67 inches and 48 out of the 300 test takers are below 62 inches
tall, what is the standard deviation?
A) 1.5
B) 2
C) 2.5
D) 3.5
E) 5

10) In a basketball league, players heights have a normal distribution. If 2%

of the players are above 84 inches tall, the sum of the players heights is
23,400 inches, and the mean height is 78 inches, how many players are
between 72 and 75 inches tall?
A) 36
B) 40
C) 42
D) 48
E) 50

11) Throughout the year, daily rainfall in Stumptown ranges from 0 to 12

centimeters. If the rainfall has a normal distribution and the mean total
rainfall is 6 centimeters, what is the standard deviation?
.

12) Total yearly rainfall in Angel City has a normal distribution. If the mean
yearly rainfall is 100 inches and the standard deviation is 5, what is the
range from lowest to highest yearly totals?
A) 90 to 110
B) 80 to 120
C) 85 to 115
D) 85 to 105

E) 90 to 120

13) Total yearly snowfall in Engine City has a normal distribution and ranges
from 26 to 38 inches with a standard deviation of 2 points. What is the
mean yearly snowfall in Engine City?
A) 28
B) 29
C) 30
D) 31
E) 32

14) The number of sunny days over the 100 years on record in Coast City has
a normal distribution. If the mean number of sunny days is 298 and 16 of
the years on record had at least 312 sunny days, what is the standard
deviation?
A) 10
B) 12
C) 14
D) 16
E) 28

15) The number of snow days in Mapleton has a normal distribution. If 3 of

the years on record had more than 31 snow days, the sum of the snow days
on record is 3750, and the mean number of snow days is 25, how many
years had more than 28 snow days?
A) 16
B) 22
C) 24
D) 25
E) 28

Explanations:
1) Answer: 10
To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 70, the mean as 100, and
the highest as 130. Since there are three intervals between the low point and the mean, and
100 70 = 30, the standard deviation must be 30 / 3 = 10.

2) Answer: B

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 50, the next point to the
left as 45, and the point to the right as 55. Repeat for the remaining point. The range is 35
to 65.

3) Answer: D

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 0 and the highest as
120. Since the standard deviation is 20, the points are 0 + 20 = 20, 20 + 20 = 40, et cetera.
Therefore the mean is 60.

4) Answer: A

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 60. 32 out of 200 is 16%,
which is two right most standard deviations from the mean. Therefore the standard
deviation is 70 60 = 10.

5) Answer: D

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the second to the left point as 22. Since
the mean is 24, the standard deviation is 1. Now since 14% + 2% = 16% score above a
25. Since 16% of 300 is 48, there are 48 student who scored above a 25.

6) Answer: 2

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 60, the mean as 66,
and the highest as 72. Since there are three intervals between the low point and the mean,
and 66 60 = 6, the standard deviation must be 6 / 3 = 2.

7) Answer: D

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 50, the next point to the
left as 45, and the point to the right as 55. Repeat for the remaining point. The range is 35
to 65.

8) Answer: C

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 56 and the highest
as 65. Since the standard deviation is 1.5, the points are 56 + 1.5 = 57.5, 57.5 + 1.5 = 59,
et cetera. Therefore the mean is 60.5.

9) Answer: E

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 67. 48 out of 300 is 16%,
which is two left most standard deviations. Therefore the standard deviation is 67 62 =
5.

10) Answer: C

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Since the mean is 78 and 2% are above 84,
the standard deviation is 3. Now since 14% are between 72 and 75, and 14% of 300 = 42,
42 players are between 72 and 75 inches tall.

11) Answer: 2

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 0, the mean as 6,
and the highest as 12. Since there are three intervals between the low point and the mean,
and 6 0 = 6, the standard deviation must be 6 / 3 = 2.

12) Answer: C

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 100, the next point to the
left as 95, and the point to the right as 105. Repeat for the remaining point. The range is
85 to 115.

13) Answer: E

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the lowest point as 26 and the highest
as 38. Since the standard deviation is 2, the points are 26 + 2 = 28, 28 + 2 = 30, et cetera.
Therefore the mean is 32.

14) Answer: C

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Label the mean as 298. 16 out of 100 is 16%,
which is the two right most standard deviation of the mean. Therefore the standard
deviation is 312 298 = 14.

15) Answer: C

To solve this question, draw the bell curve. Since the total is 3750, and the mean is 25,
the number of years is 150. Therefore since 3 out of 150 is 2%, label the second to the
right point as 31. Since the mean is 25, and 31 25 = 6, the standard deviation is 6 / 2 =
3. Now since 14% + 2% = 16%, and 16% of 150 = 24, there were 24 years with more
than 28 snow days.