30 The Normal Distribution Module 4

THE NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

Learning Outcomes
After working with the module, you
will be able to:
1. Describe a normal
distribution curve;
2. Discuss the area of a given
curve;
3. Find the area of a curve using
the normal distribution table ;
4. Calculate the area of a curve
using the standard score.
Overview
One of the most important statistical
distributions of data is known as a normal distribution.
This distribution occurs in a variety of applications.
Types of data that may demonstrate a normal
distribution include the lengths of leaves on a tree, the
weights of newborns in a hospital, the lengths of time of
a student’s trip from home to school over a period of
months, the SAT scores of a large group of students, and
the life spans of light bulbs. A normal distribution forms
a bell-shaped curve that is symmetric about a vertical
line through the mean of the data. A graph of a normal
distribution is shown in Figure 4.1

Fig. 4.1 The Normal distribution curve

Properties of a Normal Distribution:

Every normal distribution has the following properties.
1. The normal distribution curve is bell-shaped.
2. The mean, median, and mode are equal and located at the center of the
distribution.
3. The normal distribution is unimodal.
4. The curve is symmetrical about the mean.
5. The curve is continuous.
6. The curve never touches the 𝑥 – 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠.
7. The total area under the curve is 1 or 100%.

The following rule, called the Empirical Rule, describes the percent of data that lie within 1, 2, and 3
standard deviations of the mean in a normal distribution.

Empirical Rule for a Normal Distribution:

In a normal distribution, approximately
• 68% of the data lie within 1 standard deviation of the mean.
• 95% of the data lie within 2 standard deviations of the mean.
• 99.7% of the data lie within 3 standard deviations of the mean.

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31 The Normal Distribution Module 4

The graph of the normal distribution using the empirical rule is shown in Fig. 4.2.

Fig. 4.2 The Normal distribution curve

The Standard Normal Distribution

All normally distributed variables can be transformed into the standard normally distributed
variable by using the formula for the standard score:

x− x−x
Population: z = Sample: z =
 s

Standard Normal Distribution

The standard normal distribution is the normal distribution that has a mean of 0 and
a standard deviation of 1.

Finding the area under the curve of a normal distribution is important considering the fact that the
total area of the curve is 1 and the curve is symmetric about the mean. Fig. 4.3 shows the area under
the normal curve between 0 to z.

Fig. 4.3 The Normal distribution curve

Tables are often used to determine the area under a portion of the standard normal curve. We will
refer to this type of area as an area of the standard normal distribution as shown in Table 4.1.

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32 The Normal Distribution Module 4

example 1
Determine the area under the standard normal curve given below:
a. between 0 and 1.96
b. between 𝑧 = −1.53 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧 = 0
c. to the right of 𝑧 = 0.71
d. to the left of 𝑧 = 0.86

Solution:

a. Using Table 4.1, first go down the middle

column, labeled z to 1.9 (at the positive
values of z), then go across that row until
the column 0.06. The number in the table,
0.9750, is the area under the curve from the
left to 1.96. In this case, we need to subtract
0.5 from 0.9750 to get 0.4750 because the
area needed is between 0 to 1.96

b. between 𝑧 = −1.53 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧 = 0.

From Table 4.1, (use the negative z-value),

note that the area of the curve from left to 𝑧 =
0 is 0. 5 and 𝑧 = −1.53 has the area 0.06301
(from left of the curve). Therefore, the area
between −1.53 and 0 or 𝐴(−1.53 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0) =
0.5 − 0.06301 = 0.4370.

c. to the right of 𝑧 = 0.71

Area from left of the curve to 𝑧 = 0.71 is 0.76115. Therefore, the area to the right of 𝑧 =
0.71 or 𝐴(𝑧 ≥ 0.71) = 1 − 0.76115 = 0.2389. Notice that 1 is subtracted from 0.76115
because the total area of the curve is 1.

d. to the left of 𝑧 = 0.86

𝐴(𝑧 ≤ 0.86) = 0.8051

Therefore, the area of the curve is 0.8051.

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30 The Normal Distribution Module 4

Table 4.1 Area under the Normal Curve

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30 The Normal Distribution Module 4

Standardizing a Normal Curve

As illustrated in the previous section, the area under a standard normal curve can be determined
using the 𝑧 table. However, in reality, a continuous random variable may have a normal distribution
with value of the mean and standard deviation different from 0 and 1, respectively. This normal
distribution must be converted to a standard normal distribution. This procedure is called
standardizing a normal distribution. For a normal variable 𝑥, a particular value of 𝑥 can be converted
to a 𝑧 value by using the formula,
x− x−x
Population: z = Sample: z =
 s
where 𝜇 is the mean (population) and 𝜎 is the standard deviation (population) of the normal
distribution. This gives the number of standard deviations that the 𝑥 value is from the mean 𝜇.

Example 2
The average age of a company’s president is 56 years old. Assume the variable is normally
distributed. If the standard deviation is four years, find the probability that the age of a randomly
selected president will be in the following range.
a. between 52 and 58
b. between 57 and 65
c. between 50 and 55 years old.

Solution:

The average age of company’s president, 𝜇 = 56, standard deviation, 𝜎 = 4.

𝑥−𝜇 52 − 56 −4
a. 𝑥 = 52, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4
= −1

𝑥−𝜇 58 − 56 2
𝑥 = 58, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4 = 0.5

Using Table 4.1 (see illustration of finding 𝑧 , right), the

probability of 𝑧 from left to 𝑧 = −1, 𝑃(𝑧 < −1) =
0.15866 (use the negative 𝑧 value), and the probability
of 𝑧 from left to z = 0.5, 𝑃(𝑧 < 0.5) = 0.69146 (use the
positive z value). Subtract, 𝑃(𝑧 < 0.5) to that of 𝑃(𝑧 <
−1), we have 𝑃(−1 < 𝑧 < 0.5) = 0.69146 − 0.15866 =
0.5328. Therefore, the probability that the age of a
randomly selected president will be 0.5328 or 53.28%.

𝑥−𝜇 57 − 56 1
b. 𝑥 = 57, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4 = 0.25

𝑥−𝜇 65 − 56 9
𝑥 = 65, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4 = 2.25

Using Table 4.1, the probability of 𝑧 from left to 𝑧 = 0.25, 𝑃(𝑧 < 0.25) = 0.59871, and the
probability of 𝑧 from left to 𝑧 = 2.25, 𝑃(𝑧 < 2.25) = 0.98778. Subtract, 𝑃(𝑧 < 2.25) to
that of 𝑃(𝑧 < 0.25), we have 𝑃(0.25 < 𝑧 < 2.25) = 0.98778 − 0.59871 = 0.38907.

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31 The Normal Distribution Module 4

Therefore, the probability that the age of

a randomly selected president will be
0.38907 or 38.907%.

𝑥−𝜇 50 − 56 −6
c. 𝑥 = 50, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4
= −1.5

𝑥−𝜇 55 − 56 −1
𝑥 = 55, 𝑧 = 𝜎
= 4
= 4
= −0.25

𝑃(𝑧 < −1.5) = 0.06681

𝑃(𝑧 < −0.25) = 0.40129

Therefore, 𝑃(−1.5 < 𝑧 < −0.25) = 0.40129 − 0.06681 = 0.33448. Hence, the
probability that the randomly selected presidents between 50 to 55 years old will be 0.33448
or 33.448%.

example 3
For a medical study, a researcher wishes to select people in the middle of 40 % 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 reading that would qualify people to participate in the study.

Solution:

Assuming that blood pressure is normally distributed, the cut off points are shown Figure a.

From Figure a, the cut off scores are both 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 . We

need to find these points considering the area from left
of 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 . Notice that 40% of the population are to
be selected based on blood pressure.

(a)

Figures b and c show how we can get the area nearest to 70% and 30% on the z – table so that we
can get the 𝑧 – values for 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 .

(b) (c)

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32 The Normal Distribution Module 4

As reflected on Table 4.1, shown in Figures d and e, the 𝑧 – values whose areas nearest to 0.70
(0.69847) and 0.30 (0.30153) are 0.52 and -0.52, respectively.

(d) (e)
𝑥−𝜇
Using the formula 𝑧 = 𝜎
with 𝑧 = 0.52 and 𝑧 = −0.52
𝑥 −120 𝑥 −120
−0.52 = 1 8 0.52 = 2 8
−4.16 = 𝑥1 − 120 4.16 = 𝑥2 − 120
𝑥1 = 115.84 𝑥2 = 124.16

Therefore, the middle 40% will have blood pressure reading of 115.84 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 124.16.

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33 The Normal Distribution Module 4

4.1 Self – Assessment Questions

1. Find the area in each of the following.

a. 𝑧 = −1.47 and 𝑧 = 1.64
b. 𝑧 = −0.44 and 𝑧 = 1.82
c. The region where 𝑧 > 1.92
d. The region where 𝑧 < 2.22

2. A biologist found the wingspans of a group of monary butterflies to be normally

distributed with a mean of 52.2 mm and a standard deviation of 2.3 mm. What percent
of the butterflies had a wingspan
a. less than 48.5 mm?
b. between 50 and 55 mm?

3. A highway study of 8000 vehicles that passed by a checkpoint found that their speeds
were normally distributed, with a mean of 61 mph and a standard deviation of 7 mph.
a. How many of the vehicles had a speed of more than 68 mph?
b. How many of the vehicles had a speed of less than 40 mph?

4. The results of a state-wide examination of the reading skills of sixth-grade students

were normally distributed, with a mean score of 104 and a standard deviation of 16.
The students in the top 10% are to receive an award, and those in the bottom 14% will
be required to take a special reading class.
a. What score does a student need in order to receive an award?
b. What is the cut-off score that will be used to determine whether a student will be
required to take the special reading class?

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34 The Normal Distribution Module 4

Summary
A normal distribution forms a bell-shaped curve that is symmetric about a vertical line through the
mean of the data. Every normal distribution has the following properties.
1. The normal distribution curve is bell-shaped.
2. The mean, median, and mode are equal and located at the center of the distribution.
3. The normal distribution is unimodal.
4. The curve is symmetrical about the mean.
5. The curve is continuous.
6. The curve never touches the 𝑥 – 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠.
7. The total area under the curve is 1 or 100%.
All normally distributed variables can be transformed into the standard normally distributed
variable by using the formula for the standard score:

x− x−x
Population: z = Sample: z =
 s

Feedback
Congratulations! You have finished Module 4.

After working on this module, what have you learn about the measures of the center? Can
you be able to identify the appropriate measure of the average in a given data set?

You are advice to provide a lecture notebook as your journal where you can write the answers
and solutions on the SAQs. Answers to SAQs are provided at the bottom of the page. Journals will be
submitted before the final examinations. For further understanding, use references provided in this
module.

References
Alferez, M.S. and Duro, M. Statistics and Probability. MSA Publishing House. 2006.
Basilio, F.B., et.al. Fundamental Statistics. Trinitas Publishing Inc. 2003
Gonzales, J.O and Nocon, R.C. Essential Statistics. MaxCor Publishing House Inc. 2015.

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