THE NORMAL

DISTRIBUTION
CHARATERISTICS OF
THE NORMAL
PROBABILITY
DISTRIBUTION
 The curve is concave
downward between
x = µ+σ and x = µ - σ and
concave upward for values
of x outside the interval. µ-3σ µ-2σ µ-σ µ µ+σ µ+2σ µ+3σ
♥The total area under the curve is 1.00

♥ x moves away on either side of the

mean µ, the height of the curve
decreases but remains non negative for
all values of x
Three types of normal curve
with varying means & standard
deviation.
THE STANDARDIZED
NORMAL CURVE

Normal
curve???
 Finding the areas under the
normal curve is the same as finding the probability.
Example 1:
Find the area from
z= 0 to z = 1.35

Step 1. Shade the required

region.

Step 2. Find the area using

the table.
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Area is at z= 1.3 at column 5

A= 0.4115
P = 41.15%
Example 2.

Step 1. Shade the required region.

Step 2. Find the area using the

table.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Area from z= 0 to z= -2.0 is 0.4772
Area from z= 0 to z= 2.5 is 0.4938 } add! A = 0.971
0.9710 P = 97.10%
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

Example 1. Find the area

under the standard normal
curve which lies:

A. between Z = -1.65 and Z= 0

Let A = area

Then find this area from Table

II, Appendix
A(-1.65 < Z < 0 = 0.4505 -1.65 0

The negative sign (-) is only

an indication that the
area under consideration
is to the left of zero.
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

b. To the right of Z = 0.95

Let A= area, then use

Table II.

A ( Z > 0.95) = 0.5 –

0.3289 = 0.1711

The area is 0.1711 and is

at the right of zero. 0 0.95
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

c. Between Z = 0 and Z = 1.4

Let A = area, then from Table

II.

A ( 0 < Z < 1.4 ) = 0.4192

The area is 0.4192 and is at

the right of zero.
0 1.4
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

b. To the right of Z = 0.95

Let A= area, then use

Table II.

A ( Z > 0.95) = 0.5 –

0.3289 = 0.1711

The area is 0.1711 and is

at the right of zero. 0 0.95
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

d. To the right of Z = -1.25

Let A = area,

then from Table II

A ( Z > - 1.25 ) = 0.5 + 0.3944

= 0.8944 -1.25 0
 Areas Under the Normal Curve
e. Between Z = -2.13 and Z= 1.62

Let A= area, from Table II

Appendix, look for
A(-2.13 < Z < 0) = 0.4834
and A(0<1.62) = 0.4474

Since the area in question is

between Z= -2.13 and Z= 1.62,
therefore ,
add these 2 areas, -2.13 0 1.62

0.4834 0.4474
:. A-2.13<Z<1.62=0.4834+0.4474 0.9308
= 0.9308
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

f. Between Z = 1.22 and Z = 2.03

Let A= area, then from Table II,

A(1.22 > Z > 0) = 0.3888

and A (2.03 > Z > 0) = 0.4788

Then solve for:

0 1.22 2.03
A(2.03 > Z > 1.22) = 0.4788- 0.3888
= 0.0900 0.3888 0.09000
0.4788
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

Example 2.
A random variable has a normal distribution with the
mean (u) = 80 and the standard deviation ( õ) = 4.8.
What are the probabilities that this random variable
will take on a value:

a.less than 87.2

b. greater than 76.4
c. between 81.2 and 86.0
 Areas Under the Normal Curve
Solution:
a. x < 87.2

Z= x - µ = 87.2 - 80
õ 4.7
= 1.5

From Table II, Appendix

A(Z = 1.5) = 0.4332

Let P= probability
0 1.5
:. P( x < 87.2) = A (Z < 1.5) = 0.5
= 0.4332 + 0.5 0.5 0.4332
= 0.9332 or 93.21% 0.9308

The probability that x < 87.2 is 93. 32

 Areas Under the Normal Curve

b. X > 76.4

76.4 - 80
Z=
4.8

= - 0.75 ( left of 0 )

From Table II, Appendix

A ( Z > - 0.75 ) = 0.2734

-0.75 0

P ( x > 76.4 ) = A (Z>-).75) + 0.5 0.2734 0.5

= 0.2734 + 0.5 0.9332
= 0.7734 or 77.34%
 Areas Under the Normal Curve

c. 81.2 < x < 86.0

Z1 = 81.2 - 80 = 0.25
4.8

Z2 = 86 - 80 = 1.25
4.8
From Table II, Appendix

A ( Z = 1.25 ) = 0.3944 0 0.25 1.25

A ( Z = 0.25 ) = 0.0987

P (81.2 < x < 86 ) = A(o.25<Z< 1.25)

= 0.3944 – 0.0987
= 0.2957 or 29.57%
 Applications of the Normal Distribution
Example 1.
Records shows that in a certain hospital the distribution
of the “length of stay” of its patients is normal with a mean (µ)
0f 10.5 days and a standard deviation (õ) of 2 days.

a. What percentage of the patients stayed 8 days?

b. What is the probability that a patient stays in the hospital

between 9 and 11 days?
 Applications of the Normal Distribution
Solution:
a. x= 8 days
µ = 10. 5 days
õ = 2 days
Z= x - µ = 8 – 10.5 = -1.25
õ 2

From Table II,

A(Z = -1.25) = 10.56

:. P( Z to the leftof Z = -1.25

0 1.5
= 10.56%)
0.5 0.4332
0.9308
1. A brisk walk at 4 miles per hour burns an average of 300
calories per hour. If the standard deviation of the
distribution is 8 calories, find the probability that a person
who walks one hour at the rate of 4 miles per hour will burn
the following calories
a. More than 280 calories
b. Less than 293 calories
c. Between 285 and 320 calories
2. In a course audit test in the College of Nursing, with a sample of
100 cases, the mean score is 70 and the standard deviation is 4.
assuming normality, what is the probability that the score will fall
a. Between the mean and 76
b. Above 75
c. Between 68 and 75
d. Between 75 and 76
e. What will include the middle 80% of the cases?
f. What minimum score should a nursing student get to belong to the
upper 15% of the group?
6. What are the two extreme scores, outside of which only 10% of the
group can be expected to fall?
3. A teacher decides to fail 5% of the class. Exam marks are
roughly normally distributed with µ = 72 and δ = 6.0.What
mark must a student make to pass?