TOPIC: PROBABILITIES AND NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

The normal distribution or Gaussian distribution is a continuous probability distribution that describes data that
clusters around a mean. The graph of the associated probability density function is bell-shaped, with a peak at the mean,
and is known as the Gaussian function or bell curve. The normal curve was developed mathematically in 1733 by
Abraham de Moivre (1667-1754) as an approximation to the binomial distribution. His paper was not discovered until
1924 by Karl Pearson (1857-1936). Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827) used the normal curve in 1783 to describe the
distribution of errors. Subsequently, Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) used the normal curve to analyze astronomical
data in 1809. The normal curve is often called the Gaussian distribution. The term bell-shaped curve is often used in
everyday activity.

The normal distribution can be used to describe, at least approximately, any variable that tends to cluster around
the mean. For example, the heights of adults males in the Philippines are roughly normally distributed. Most men have a
height close to the mean, though a small number of outliers have a height significantly above or below the mean. A
histogram of male heights will appear similar to a bell curve, with the correspondence becoming closer if more data is
used.

Objective: Determining probabilities.

A normal distribution is a continuous, symmetric, bell-shaped distribution of a variable. The known

characteristics of the normal curve make it possible to estimate the probability of occurrence of any value of a
normally distributed variable. The properties of the normal distribution are as follows:

1. The distribution is bell-shaped.

2. The mean, median, and mode are equal and are located at the center of the distribution.
3. The normal distribution is unimodal.
4. The normal distribution curve is symmetric about the mean.
5. The normal distribution is continuous.
6. The normal curve is asymptotic (it never touches the x-axis).
7. The total area under the normal distribution curve is 1.00 or 100%.
8. The area under the part of a normal curve that lies within 1 standard deviation of the
mean 68%; within 2 standard deviations, about 95%; and with 3 standard deviations,
about 99.7%. See Figure 4.13, which shows the area in each region.

A. Standard Normal Distribution

A normal distribution can be converted into a standard normal distribution by obtaining the z value.
A z value is the signed distance between a selected value, designated x, and the mean, , divided by
 the standard deviation. It is also called as z scores, the z statistics, the standard normal deviates, or the
standard normal values. In terms of formula:

Standard normal value:

where: z = z value
x = the value of any particular observation or measurement.
= the mean of the distribution.
= standard deviation of the distribution.

Example 1. Determine the area under the standard normal distribution curve between z = 0 and z = 1.85.

Solution:

Hence, the area is 0.4678 or 46.78%

Example 2. Determine the area under the standard normal distribution curve between z = 0 and z = -1.15.

Solution:

The desired area is shown below.

The area between z = 0 and z = -1.15 or P(-1.15 < z < 0) is 0.3749. Therefore, the area is 0.3749 or 37.49%.

Example 3. Find the area under the standard normal distribution curve to the right of z = 1.15.

Solution:
The required area is at the right tail of the normal curve. First find the area to the right of 1.15.

P(0 < z < 1.15) = 0.3749.

Then subtract P(0 < z < 1.15) = 0.3749 from 0.5000, since half of the area under the curve is to the right of z =
0.

P(z > 1.15) = 0.5000 – P(0 < z < 1.15)

= 0.5000 – 0.3749
= 0.1251

0 1.15

The area to the right of z = 1.15 is 0.1251 or 12.51%.

Example 4. Determine the area under the standard normal distribution curve between z = 0.75 and z = 1.85.

Solution:

P(0 < z < 1.85) = 0.4678 P(0 < z < 0.75) = 0.2734
P(0.75 < z < 1.85) = P(0 < z < 1.85) – P(0 < z < 0.75) = 0.4678 - 0.2734 = 0.1944

Therefore, the area is 0.1944 or 19.44%.

Example 5. Find the area under the standard normal distribution curve between z = 1.15 and z = -1.85.

Solution:

P(-1.85 < z < 0) = 0.4678 P(0 < z < 1.15) = 0.3749

Since the two areas are in the opposite sides of z = 0, we must find both areas and add them.

P(-1.85 < z < 1.15) = P(-1.85 < z < 0) + P(0 < z < 1.15) = 0.4678 + 0.3749 = 0.8427

Hence, the total area is 0.8427 or 84.27%.

Prepared by:

ROWENA CARIASO FORONDA, MAEd.

Instructor
Prepared by:

ROWENA CARIASO FORONDA, MAEd.

Instructor