Chapter 6

The Normal Distribution & Other

Continuous Distributions
Chap 6-1

Learning Objectives
In this chapter, you learn:

To compute probabilities from the normal distribution

How to use the normal distribution to solve business

problems

Chap 6-2

Given a Normal Probability

Find the X Value

Steps to find the X value for a known

probability:
1. Find the Z-value for the known probability
2. Convert to X units using the formula:

X = + Z

Chap 6-3

Finding the X value for a

Known Probability
(continued)

Example 1:

Let X represent the time it takes (in seconds) to

download an image file from the internet.
Suppose X is normal with mean 18.0 and standard
deviation 5.0
Find X such that 20% of download times are less than
X.
0.2000

?
?

18.0
0

X
Z
Chap 6-4

Find the Z-value for

20% in the Lower Tail
1. Find the Z-value for the known probability
Standardized Normal Probability
Table (Portion)

Z
-0.9

.03

.04

.05

20% area in the lower

tail is consistent with a
Z-value of -0.84

.1762 .1736 .1711

-0.8 .2033 .2005 .1977

-0.7

0.2000

.2327 .2296 .2266

?
18.0
-0.84 0

X
Z
Chap 6-5

Finding the X value

2. Convert to X units using the formula:

X = + Z
= 18.0 + (0.84)5.0
= 13.8
So 20% of the values from a distribution
with mean 18.0 and standard deviation
5.0 are less than 13.80
Chap 6-6

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Example 2: To qualify for a police academy,
candidates must score in the top 10 % on a
general abilities test. The test has a mean of 200
and a standard deviation of 20. Find the lowest
possible score to qualify. Assume the test scores
are normally distributed.

Chap 6-7

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Step 1: Subtract 0.1000 from 1.0000 to get the
area under the normal distribution to the left of X
(1.0000- 0.1000 = 0.9000).Step 2 : Find the z
value that corresponds to an area of 0.9000 by
looking up 0.9000 in the area portion of the table .
If the specific value cant be found , use the
closest value- in this case 0.8997. The
corresponding value is 1.28.

Chap 6-8

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Step 3: Substitute = 1.28 in the formula
= . + .
= 1.28 20 + 200 226
Therefore, anybody scoring 226 or higher
qualifies.

Chap 6-9

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Example 3: For the medical study, a researcher
wishes to select people in the middle 60 % of the
population based on blood pressure. If the mean
systolic blood pressure is 120 and the standard
deviation is 8, find the upper and lower readings
that would qualify people to participate in the
study. Assume that blood pressure readings are
normally distributed.

Chap 6-10

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities

Chap 6-11

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Solution: The 1 value that corresponds to the
area 0.2000 is 0.84. Substituting in the formula
1 = 1 + gives
1 = 1 + = 0.84 8 + 120 = 113.28
By symmetry 2 = 0.84
2 = 2 + = 0.84 8 + 120 = 126.72

Chap 6-12

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Therefore, the middle 60 % will have blood
pressure readings of 113.28 < < 126.72

Chap 6-13

Finding Data Values Given

Specific Probabilities
Note: The area 0.9500 falls halfway between
0.9495 and 0.9505. In this case find the z value
that corresponds to 0.9505 (larger area) . Hence,
use 1.65 rather than 1.64 for the z value.

Chap 6-14