The Normal Curve

and Z-scores
Using the Normal Curve to Find
Probabilities

Outline

1. Properties of the normal curve.

2. Mean and standard deviation of the
normal curve.
3. Area under the curve.
4. Calculating z-scores.
5. Probability.

Carl
Gauss

The normal curve is often called the Gaussian

distribution, after Carl Friedrich Gauss, who
discovered many of its properties. Gauss,
commonly viewed as one of the greatest
mathematicians of all time (if not the greatest),
is honoured by Germany on their 10
Deutschmark bill.

From http://www.willamette.edu/~mjaneba/help/normalcurve.html

The Histogram and the

Normal Curve

The Theoretical Normal

Curve

(from http://www.music.miami.edu/research/statistics/normalcurve/images/normalCurve1.gif

Properties of the Normal

Theoretical construction
Curve:

Also called Bell Curve or Gaussian Curve

Perfectly symmetrical normal distribution
The mean of a distribution is the midpoint of
the curve
The tails of the curve are infinite
Mean of the curve = median = mode
The area under the curve is measured in
standard deviations from the mean

Properties (cont.)

Has a mean = 0 and standard deviation = 1.

General relationships: 1 s = about 68.26%
2 s = about 95.44%
3 s = about 99.72%

Z-Scores

Are a way of determining the position of a

single score under the normal curve.
Measured in standard deviations relative to
the mean of the curve.
The Z-score can be used to determine an
area under the curve known as a probability.
Formula:

Z = (Xi

) /S

Using the Normal Curve: Z

Scores

Procedure:

To find areas, first compute Z scores.

Substitute score of interest for Xi

Use sample mean for

and sample
standard deviation for S.
The formula changes a raw score (Xi) to a
standardized score (Z).

Using Appendix A to Find Areas

Below a Score

Appendix A can be used to find the areas above and

below a score.
First compute the Z score, taking careful note of the
sign of the score.
Make a rough sketch of the normal curve and shade
in the area in which you are interested.

Using Appendix A (cont.)

Appendix A has three columns (a), (b), and (c)

(a) = Z scores.
(b) = areas between the score and the mean

Using Appendix A (cont.)

( c) = areas beyond the Z score

Using Appendix A

Suppose you calculate

a Z-score = +1.67
Find the Z-score in
Column A.
To find area below a
positive score:

Add column b area to .

50.

To find area above a

positive score

Look in column c.

(a)

(b)

(c)

1.66

0.4515

0.0485

1.67

0.4525

0.0475

1.68

0.4535

0.0465

Using Appendix A (cont.)

The area below Z = 1.67 is

0.4525 + 0.5000 = 0.9525.

Areas can be expressed as percentages:

0.9525 = 95.25%

Normal curve with z=1.67

Using Appendix A

What if the Z score is

negative (1.67)?

(a)

(b)

(c)

1.66

0.4515

0.0485

1.67

0.4525

0.0475

To find area above a

negative score

1.68

0.4535

0.0465

Add column b .50

To find area below a

negative score:

Look in column c.

Using Appendix A (cont.)

The area below Z = - 1.67 is .0475.

Areas can be expressed as %: 4.75%.

Frequency

Scores

Area = .0475

z= -1.67

Finding Probabilities

Areas under the curve can also be expressed

as probabilities.

Probabilities are proportions and range from

0.00 to 1.00.

The higher the value, the greater the

probability (the more likely the event). For
instance, a .95 probability of rain is higher
than a .05 probability that it will rain!

Finding Probabilities

If Xa distribution has:

= 13
s =4

What is the probability of randomly selecting

a score of 19 or more?

Finding Probabilities
(a)

(b)

(c)

1.49

0.4319

0.0681

1.50

0.4332

0.0668

1.51

0.4345

0.0655

1.
2.
3.

4.

Find the Z score.

For Xi = 19, Z = 1.50.
Find area above in
column c.
Probability is 0.0668
or 0.07.

In Class Example

After an exam, you learn that the mean for

the class is 60, with a standard deviation of
10. Suppose your exam score is 70. What is
your Z-score?
Where, relative to the mean, does your score
lie?
What is the probability associated with your
score (use Z table Appendix A)?

To solve:

Available information:

Xi = 70
= 60
S = 10

Formula:

Z = (Xi

) /S

= (70 60) /10

= +1.0

What if your score is 72?

Calculate your Z-score.

What percentage of students have a score

below your score? Above?

What percentile are you at?

Your Z-score of +1.0 is exactly 1 s.d. above

the mean (an area of 34.13% + 50%
are at the 84.13 percentile.

You

Answer:

Z = 1.2

The area beyond Z = .1151

(11.51% of marks are above yours)

Area between mean and Z = .3849 + .50 = .8849

(% of marks below = 88.49%)

Your mark is at the 88th percentile!

What if your mark is 55?

Calculate your Z-score.

What percentage of students have a score

below your score? Above?

What percentile are you at?

Answer:

Z = -.5

Area between the mean and Z = .1915 + .50 = .6915

(% of marks above = 69.15%)

The area beyond Z = .3085

(30.85% of the marks are below yours)

Your mark is only at the 31st percentile!

Another Question

What if you want to know how much better

or worse you did than someone else?
Suppose you have 72 and your classmate
has 55?

How much better is your score?

Answer:

Z for 72 = 1.2 or .3849 of area above mean

Z for 55 = -.5 or .1915 of area below mean

Area between Z = 1.2 and Z = -.5 would be .3849 + .

1915 = .5764

Your mark is 57.64% better than your classmates

mark with respect to the rest of the class.

Probability:

Lets say your classmate wont show you the

mark.

How can you make an informed guess about

what your neighbours mark might be?

What is the probability that your classmate

has a mark between 60 (the mean) and 70 (1
s.d. above the mean)?

Answer:

Calculate Z for 70......Z = 1.0

In looking at Appendix A, you see that the

area between the mean and Z is .3413

There is a .34 probability (or 34% chance)

that your classmate has a mark between 60%
and 70%.

The probability of your classmate having a

mark between 60 and 70% is .34

Work time...

What is the area for scores less than z = -1.5?

What is the area between z =1 and 1.5?
What z score cuts off the highest 30% of the
distribution?
What two z scores enclose the middle 50% of
the distribution?
If 500 scores are normally distributed with mean
= 50 and SD = 10, and an investigator throws
out the 20 most extreme scores, what are the
highest and lowest scores that are retained?