Continuous Probability Distributions and Normal Distribution Part 1

Statistics and Probability
CONTINUOUS PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS AND

NORMAL DISTRIBUTION (PART 1)
“Hiding within
those mounds
of data is
knowledge
that could
change the life
of a patient, or
change the
world.”
1st Semester SY 2022-2023 1
Statistics and Probability: Continuous Prob. Dist. and Normal Dist.
Objectives (Part 1)
❖ Understand continuous random variable and sample space
❖ Understand probability density function and its properties
❖ Understand the concept of uniform distribution
❖ Solve problems involving uniform distribution
❖ Illustrate a normal random variable and its characteristics
❖ Construct a normal curve
❖ Understand the 68-95-99.7 Rule and use it to approximate
areas of normal distribution.
2
Statistics and Probability: Continuous Probability Distribution
Continuous Sample Space

“If a sample space contains an infinite number of
possibilities equal to the number of points on a line
segment, it is called a continuous sample space.”
A random variable defined over a continuous sample space of

possible values is called a continuous random variable.
3
Continuous Random Variable

Continuous Random Variables are usually measurements.
Examples include height, weight, the amount of sugar in an
orange, the time required to run a mile.
Other Examples:
• The shelf life of a particular drug
• The height of water in a dam
• The amount of money a person owns
• The weight of a package
4
Continuous Random Variable
5
Continuous Probability Distribution

The function with values f(x) is called a probability
density function (pdf) for the continuous random
variable X, if…
• the total area under its curve and above the

horizontal axis is equal to 1; and
• the area under the curve between any two

ordinates x = a and x = b gives the probability that
X lies between a and b.
6
Continuous Probability Distribution
7
Statistics and Probability: Uniform Distribution
Continuous
Probability
Distribution:
Uniform Distribution
8
Uniform Distribution
9
Uniform Distribution: Example 1

NOTE: We must draw its corresponding
curve/graph. Remember that for a
uniform distribution, the graph will look
like a rectangle from x = a and x = b with
height equal to f(x).
In this case, the endpoints of the

rectangle is from 0 to 4, while its height
will be equal to ¼ or 0.25. Look at the
graph below.
10
Uniform Distribution: Example 1 - Answers
11
Uniform Distribution: Example 1 – Answers (cont.)
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15
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Uniform Distribution: Example 2

A bus driver arrives every 10 minutes at a bus stop. It is assumed
that the waiting time for a particular individual is a random
variable with continuous uniform distribution. What is the
probability that the individual waits…
a. More than 6 minutes?

b. Less than 2 minutes?
c. Between 2 and 7 minutes?
d. Waits more than 10 minutes?
17
Uniform Distribution: Example 2 - Answers
18
19
20
21
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Statistics and Probability: Normal Distribution
Continuous
Probability
Distribution:
Normal Distribution
24
Normal Distribution
25
Normal Distribution
The graph of the normal distribution is called the
normal curve.
26
Normal Distribution When we say

“asymptotically”, it
means that both
ends of the normal
curve and the
horizontal axis (x-
axis) will just
approach each other
μ but will never touch
Properties: or intersect.
1. The normal curve is bell-shaped and symmetric about a

vertical axis through the mean μ.
2. The normal curve approaches the horizontal axis
asymptotically as we proceed in either direction away from
the mean.
3. The total area under the curve and above the horizontal axis
(blue-shaded region) is equal to 1.
27
Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈?
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Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈? (cont.)
29
Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈? (cont.)
30
68-95-99.7 Rule
Suppose that we were measuring the
heights of all students in a local
university. We found out that it was
normally distributed with a mean height
of 5.5 ft and a standard deviation of 0.5 ft.
So what’s the use

of the 68-95-99.7
Rule???
31
68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)
First, it states that within

1 standard deviation
away from the mean…
…it contains a total area

of 0.68 or 68%.
Because of this, we can say that 68% of the population is between 5 and 6 ft. tall.
32
68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)
Next, if we go 2 standard
deviations away from the
mean…

of 0.95 or 95%.
This means that 95% of the population have a height between 4.5 and 6.5 ft.
33
68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)
Finally, within 3
standard deviations
away from the mean…

of 0.997 or 99.7%.
This means that for the population you are studying, 99.7% of the people are
between 4 and 7 ft. tall.
34
68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)

The 68-95-99.7 Rule is a great way for approximating
the areas of a normal distribution. This works for any
normal distribution, regardless of shape and size.
35
68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1

Question: The normal distribution below has a standard
deviation of 10. Approximately, what area is contained between
70 and 90?
36
68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1 (cont.)

According to the 68-95-99.7 Rule, we know that there is an area of 95%
contained within 2 standard deviations of the mean.
By studying the figure, 2 standard deviations to the right gets us to 90 and 2

standard deviations to the left gets us to 50.
According to the 68-95-99.7 Rule,
there is an area of 95% contained
within this interval.
37

However, we are only interested in the area between 70 and 90. So
dividing this area by 2 gives us our area of interest, which is equal to 47.5%.
38
68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2

Question: For the normal distribution below, approximately
what area is contained between -2 and 1?
39

To approximate the area between -2 and 1…
… we will be using the 68-95-99.7 Rule.

We can strategically divide this area into two parts, so that we can easily
incorporate the rule.
40

We will start with the right half, which goes from 0 to 1.
We know that 1 standard deviation away from the mean gives us 68%.
Half of this is 34%, giving us the area from 0 to 1.
41

The next half goes from -2 to 0.
And we know that within 2 standard deviations away from the mean, we
have an area equal to 95%.
Dividing this by 2 gives us the area from -2 to 0, which is equal to 47.5%.
42

Finally, to get the total area from -2 to 1, all we have to do is to add the two
areas we got in the previous slides.
Adding this two areas, we will get the total area from -2 to 1, which is equal
to 81.5%.
43
68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1 and 2

For more detailed and visual explanation of the
previous examples, kindly watch the video below.
https://youtu.be/mtbJbDwqWLE?t=375
44
REFERENCE:
• “The Normal Distribution and the 68-95-99.7 Rule (5.2).”
YouTube, uploaded by Simple Learning Pro, 31 May 2019,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtbJbDwqWLE
45
To be
continued...
46

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Statistics and Probability

CONTINUOUS PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS AND

Continuous Sample Space

A random variable defined over a continuous sample space of

Continuous Random Variable

Continuous Random Variable

Continuous Probability Distribution

• the total area under its curve and above the

• the area under the curve between any two

Continuous Probability Distribution

Uniform Distribution: Example 1

In this case, the endpoints of the

Uniform Distribution: Example 2

a. More than 6 minutes?

Uniform Distribution: Example 2 - Answers

Uniform Distribution: Example 2 – Answers (cont.)

Normal Distribution When we say

1. The normal curve is bell-shaped and symmetric about a

Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈?

Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈? (cont.)

Normal Distribution: What is 𝝁 and 𝝈? (cont.)

So what’s the use

68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)

First, it states that within

…it contains a total area

68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)

…it contains a total area

68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)

…it contains a total area

68-95-99.7 Rule (cont.)

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1 (cont.)

By studying the figure, 2 standard deviations to the right gets us to 90 and 2

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1 (cont.)

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2 (cont.)

… we will be using the 68-95-99.7 Rule.

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2 (cont.)

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2 (cont.)

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 2 (cont.)

68-95-99.7 Rule: Example 1 and 2

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