Modular Learning Guide

Math 2: Statistics and Probability

4th Quarter Modular Learning Guide #:1
Expected Time of Completion: 3 weeks (20 hours)
Topic #1: Standard Score(z-Score) and Applications of Normal Distribution.
A. Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, the student should be able to:
1. Solve for the z-score associated with a percentile
2. apply z-score to solve real life problems
3. solve problems related to normal distribution.
B. Learning Contents
Standard Score (z-score)
The z-score reveals how many units of the standard deviation the raw
score is above or below the mean (𝜇) and allows us to compare the results
to different normal distributions. The quantity z-score represents the distance
between the raw score (x) and the population mean in units of the standard
deviation (𝜎). z-score is negative when the raw score is below the mean, and
it is positive when the raw score is above the mean. The z-score is zero when
the raw score is the same as the mean.
To compute the z-score, use the formula:
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
where: 𝑥 = raw score
𝜇 = population mean
𝜎 = population standard deviation
Sometimes the population mean and the population standard deviation is
unknown. In those cases, we can use the sample mean and the sample standard
deviation to estimate the population parameters. Hence we can consider the
formula:
𝑥 − 𝑥̅
𝑧=
𝑠
where: 𝑥 = raw score
𝑥̅ = sample mean
𝑠 = sample standard deviation

CONVERTING RAW SCORES INTO z-SCORES

Example: There are two Grade 11 class in a certain school. Both of the classes took
a test for a subject. Class A's mean score is 50 with a standard deviation of 5, while
Class B's mean score is 80 with a standard deviation of 3. Student A of Class A got
a score of 65 while Student B from Class B got 86. Who performed better in class?
To compare the scores of the two students, we should convert their raw scores into
standard scores or z-score.
Let us try to convert the raw scores of the students in the problem into z-
scores.
Solution:
Student A got 65. Class A’s mean is 50 with standard deviation of 5. Thus,

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 𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
65 − 50
𝑧=
5
15
𝑧= =3
5
Therefore, Student A’s z-score is 3.
Student B got 86. Class B’s mean score is 80 with a standard deviation of 3. Thus,
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
86−80 6
𝑧= = =2
3 3
Therefore, Student B’s z-score is 2.
We can now infer that Student A performed better than student B for getting a
higher z-score.

Example: Consider a random variable that is normally distributed where 𝜇 = 40,

𝜎 = 4 𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑥 = 50. Find the value of z and interpret its computed value.
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
50 − 40
𝑧=
4
10
𝑧 = = 2.5
4
Answer: The z-score is 2.5. It means that the raw score is 2.5 units above the mean
value.

Example: Based on a survey, the mean weekly allowance of the Grade 11 students
of XZY University is Php750.0O with a standard deviation of Php 100.00. Assuming
that the weekly allowance is normally distributed, what is the z-score of a student
with a weekly allowance of:
a. Php950.OO?
b. Php600.OO?

Solution:
a. z-score of a student with a weekly allowance of Php950.00
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
950 − 750
𝑧=
100
200
𝑧= =2
100
Answer. The z-score of a student with a weekly allowance of Php950.OO is 2.

b. z-score of a student with a weekly allowance of Php600.00

𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
600 − 750
𝑧=
100
150
𝑧=− = -1.5
100
Answer: The z-score of a student with a weekly allowance ofPhp600.00 is -1.5

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Example: Assuming that the scores of Grade 11 students in Statistics and Probability
in their third quarter test are normally distributed with a mean of 50 and a standard
deviation of 5. If the z-score of a student is 2, find his raw score.
Solution:
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
𝑥 − 50
2=
5
10 =x-50
x=60, hence the raw score is 60.

Example: Based on the table below, who performed better, JR or JM? Assume a
normal distribution from two different classes.

Student Raw Score (x) Mean (𝜇) Standard Deviation (𝜎)

JR 75 65 4
JM 58 52 2

Solution:
To find JR's z-score:

𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
75 − 65
𝑧=
4
10
𝑧 = = 2.5 , thus the z-score of JR is 2.5
4
To find JM's z-score:

𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
58 − 52
𝑧=
2
6
𝑧 = = 3 ,thus the z-score of JM is 3.
2
Answer. The z-score of JM is larger than the z-score of JR. Therefore, JM
performed better than JR.

FINDING THE Z-SCORE ASSOCIATED WITH A PERCENTILE

Example: Consider a normal distribution with a mean value of 100 and a standard
deviation of 5. Find the value of x:
a. if the area from the mean to the z-score is 17% and the z-score is negative
b. if the area to the right of the z-score is 15%
Solution:
a. P(Z=-z)= 17% or 0.17

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 Look for the value of z that has an area of 0.1700 in the z-table below.

Since the z-score is negative, therefore, = -0.44

To solve for x:
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
𝑥 − 100
−0.44 =
5
−2.2 = 𝑥 − 100
𝑥 = 100 − 2.2 = 𝟗𝟕. 𝟖
Therefore, 17% of the score in the distribution lies between 97.8 and 100.
b. P(z>z) = 15% or 0.15

Since we are looking at the right side of the mean, z should be positive. Therefore,
the desired value is z= 1.04

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To solve for x:

𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
𝑥 − 100
1.04 =
5
5.2=x-100
x= 105.2, thus about 15% of the scores in the distribution is greater than 105.2

SAMPLE REAL LIFE APPLICATION OF NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

Example: Based on findings, the average monthly salary of 800 college professors
in the university belt area is normally distributed with a mean of Php55,000.00 and
standard deviation of Php5,OOO.OO. Find:
a. the z-score of a professor with an income of Php65,000.00
b. the probability that a randomly selected professor has a monthly salary of
Php60,OOO.OO
c. the probability that a randomly selected professor has a monthly salary
between Php45,000.00 and Php58,000.00
d. the number of professors with a salary less than Php50,000.00
Solution:
a. z-score of a professor with an income of Php65,000.00
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
65000 − 55000
𝑧=
5000
10000
𝑧= =2
5000
Answer. The z-score of a professor with an income of Php65,000.00 is 2.
b. P(x = Php60,OOO.OO)
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
60000 − 55000
𝑧=
5000
5000
𝑧= =1
5000

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Based on the z-table, the value is 0.3413.
Answer: 34.13% of college professors have a monthly salary of Php 60,000.00

c. P(Php 45,000.00 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ Php58,000.00)

𝑥−𝜇 𝑥−𝜇
𝑧= 𝑧=
𝜎 𝜎

45000−55000 58000−55000
𝑧= 𝑧=
5000 5000

−10000 3000
𝑧= = -2 𝑧= = 0.6
5000 5000

Based on the z-table, the values are 0.4772 for z= -2 and 0.2557 for z= 0.60

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To find P(-2 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.60):
P(-2 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.60)= P(z=-2) + P(z=0.60)
P(-2 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.60)= 0.4772 + 0.2257
P(-2 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.60)= 0.7029 = 70.29%
Thus, 70.29% of college professors have a monthly salary between Php 45,000
and Php 58,000
d. the number of professors with a salary less than Php 50,000.00
𝑥−𝜇
𝑧=
𝜎
50000 − 55000
𝑧=
5000
−5000
𝑧= = -1
5000

Based on the z-table, the value is 0.3413. This means that the area between 0
and -1 is 0.3413.

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 Therefore, 15.87% of the college professors have a monthly salary less than
Php50,OOO.00. Since there are 800 college professors in all, we can get the
number of professors with a monthly salary less than Php50,000.OO. Thus,
No. of professor = 15.87% of 800
No. of professor = 0.1587 x 800
No. of professor = 126.96 127
Answer: There are 127 college professors with a monthly salary less than
Php50,OOO.OO.

C. LEARNING ACTIVITY/ ASSESSMENT

For your practice exercise for this module, answer the given problem below.
Sketch the graph of the needed curve. No need to include the whole z-table in
your solution. (80 points; score divided by two to be distributed for LA and A)
Suppose that the IQ scores of Grade 11 students of a certain school is
normally distributed with a mean of 110 and standard deviation of 16.
a. What is the probability that a randomly selected Grade 11 student has an
IQ score of 125?
b. What is the probability that the IQ score of a randomly selected Grade 1 1
student is less than or equal to 120?
c. What is the probability that the IQ score of a randomly selected Grade 11
student is between 94 and 150?
d. How many students have an IQ score greater than 80 if there are 2,000
students in all?
D. REFERENCES
Gabuyo, Y. A., & Cardenas, M. C. (2016). Statistics and Probability. Quezon City:
The Inteligente Publishing Inc.

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