Question:

Company ABC manufactures metal strips. Length of metal strips

produced by a machine are normally distributed with mean length of
150 cm and a standard deviation of 10 cm. Find the probability that the
length of a randomly selected strip is
(a) shorter than 165 cm
(b) within 5 cm of the mean
 1. NORMDIST
This function returns the normal distribution for a specified mean and standard deviation.
The syntax of the function is:

NORMDIST( x, mean, standard_dev, cumulative )

Where the function arguments are:

• X - The value for which you want the distribution.

• Mean - The arithmetic mean of the distribution.

• Standard_dev - The standard deviation of the distribution.

• Cumulative - A logical value that determines the form of the function. If cumulative is TRUE,
NORMDIST returns the cumulative distribution function; if FALSE, it returns the probability mass
function. NORM.DIST function. This function returns the normal distribution for a specified mean
and standard deviation.
The function arguments:
Applying NORMDIST
Step 1 :
To call a function on excel, you should write the “=” sign.

Equal
sign
Step 2: Click ‘insert formula’
Step 3: Type “Normdist” into the search box and then click “Go”.

Click
“Go”
Step 4: Select “NORMDIST” from the list and then click “OK” to open
the Function Arguments window.

Click “OK” for

the Function
Arguments
window
Step 5: Enter your data into the box. Type “165” in the X box, “150” in
the Mean box, “10” in the Standard Deviation box and “true” in the
cumulative box.

Data has
been entered.
Step 6: Click “Ok”. This returns in the cell you clicked in step 1, which is the
probability of getting under 165 cm.

Probability
length of a
randomly
selected strip is
shorter than 165
cm
(b) Find the probability that the length of a randomly selected strip is
within 5 cm of the mean.

The function arguments:

Step 1 :
To call a function on excel, you should write the “=” sign.

Equal sign
Step 2: Click ‘insert formula’ Step 3: Type “Normdist” into the search
box and then click “Go”.
Step 4: Select “NORMDIST” from the list and then click “OK” to open
the Function Arguments window.
Step 5: Enter your data into the box. Type “145” in the X box, “150” in
the Mean box, “10” in the Standard Deviation box and “true” in the
cumulative box.
Step 6: Click “Ok”. This returns in the cell you clicked in step 1.

Probability
obtained
Step 7: The same step applies to obtain the probability for X= 155,
Mean=150 and Standard_dev= 10. End
Result
 NORMINV
In Excel, the NORM.INV function returns a normally distributed value given a probability, a mean,
and a standard deviation. NORM refers to a normal distribution with a given mean and a given
standard deviation. and INV refers to inverse, that is, finding a value given a probability, rather than
finding a probability given a value.

Syntax
NORMINV (probability, mean, standard_dev)

The NORMINV function syntax has the following arguments:

Probability - A probability corresponding to the normal distribution.

Mean - The arithmetic mean of the distribution.

Standard_dev - The standard deviation of the distribution.

Applying NORMINV Function

Example:
Description Data provided

Probability 0.933193

Mean of the distribution 150

Standard deviation of the distribution 10

Step 1 :
To call a function on excel, you should write the “=” sign.

Equal sign
Step 2: Click ‘insert function’ Step 3: Type “NORMINV” into the search
box and then click “Go”.
Click “GO”
Step 4: Select “NORMINV” from the list and then click “OK” to open the
Function Arguments window.

Click “OK”
for the
Function
Arguments
window
Step 5: In order to enter your data into the box, type “0.933193” in the
Probability box, “150” in the Mean box and “10” in the Standard
Deviation box.

Data has
been
entered.
Step 6: Click “Ok”. This returns in the cell you clicked in step 1, i.e. cell
A1, which is the X value of the distribution.

Value of
Click “OK” X
to
proceed
Example:

Description Data provided

Probability 0.308538 0.691462

Mean of the distribution 150 150

Standard deviation of the distribution 10 10

Step 1: Use the sign “=” to begin with the function.
Step 2: Click ‘insert function’ Step 3: Type “NORMINV” into the search
box and then click “Go”.
Click “GO”
Step 4: Select “NORMINV” from the list and then click “OK” to open the
Function Arguments window.

Click “OK”
Step 5: Enter your data into the box.
Probability=0.308538, Mean=150, Probability=0.691462, Mean=150,
Standard_dev=10 Standard_dev=10

Data
has
been
enter
-ed.
Step 6: Click “Ok”. This returns in the cell you clicked in step 1, which is
the X value of the distribution.

Value of X
Click
“OK”
Click Value of X
“OK”
 STANDARDIZE Function
The Excel Standardize function returns a normalized value of a distribution that is characterized by a
supplied mean and standard deviation.
The syntax of the function is:

STANDARDIZE( x, mean, standard_dev )

Where the function arguments are:

x - The value to be normalized.

mean - The arithmetic mean of the distribution.
standard_dev - The standard deviation of the distribution.
Applying STANDARDIZE Function

Example:

Description Data provided

X – Value to be normalized 165

Mean of the distribution 150

Standard_dev of the distribution 10

Step 1: Enter the data on a new excel sheet.

Data has
been
entered.
Step 2: Use the sign “=” on cell B4 to begin with the function.

“Equal”
sign
Step 3: Type “STANDARDIZE” in the cell B4 and then double click to
select the function.

Double click on
the
“STANDARDIZE”
function
Step 4: Enter the data as stated in the “STANDARDIZE” function, i.e.
X=165, Mean= 150, Standard_dev= 10.
Step 5: Click “Enter” to get the standardized value.

Standardized
value
Example:

Description Data provided

X- Value to be normalized 145 155

Mean of the distribution 150 150

Standard_dev of the distribution 10 10

Step 1: Enter the data on a new excel sheet.

Data has
been
entered.
Step 2 :
To call a function on excel, you should write the “=” sign in cell E2.
Step 3: Type “STANDARDIZE” in the cell E2 and then double click to
select the function.
Step 4: Enter your data in the “STANDARDIZE” function.
X=145, Mean=150, Standard_dev=10 X=155, Mean=150, Standard_dev=10
Step 5: Click “Enter” to get the standardized value.

Standardized
value
 NORMSDIST function
Returns the standard normal cumulative distribution function. The
distribution has a mean of 0 (zero) and a standard deviation of one. Use
this function in place of a table of standard normal curve areas.

Syntax:
NORMSDIST(z)
The NORMSDIST function syntax has the following argument:

Z - Required. The value for which you want the distribution.

Applying NORMSDIST

Example:
Step 1: To call a function in the cell B6, you should write the “=” sign.

“Equal” sign
Step 2: Type “NORMSDIST” in the cell E2 and then double click to select
the function.

Double click on
the
“NORMSDIST”
function
Step 3: Click on cell B4 to select the data “z=1.5” to obtain the
probability of the distribution.

Select cell
B4,i.e z=1.5
Step 4: Click “Enter” to get the probability value.

Probability
obtained
Example:
Step 1: To call a function in the cell E5, you should write the “=” sign.
Step 2: Type “NORMSDIST” in the cell E5 and then double click to select
the function.

Double click
on the
“NORMSDIST
” function
Step 3: Click on cell E2 to select the data “z=-0.5” and on cell E3 to
select the data “z=0.5” to obtain the probability of the distribution.

Cell E2 selected

Cell E3 selected
Step 4: Click “Enter” to get the probability value.

Probability
obtained
 NORMSINV function
Returns the inverse of the standard normal cumulative distribution. The distribution has a mean of
zero and a standard deviation of one.

The syntax of the function is:

NORMSINV( probability )

The NORMSINV function syntax has the following argument:

Probability Required. A probability corresponding to the normal distribution.
Applying NORMSINV Function

Example: Consider the following data in the excel sheet.

Step 1: Use the sign “=” to begin with the function on cell D4.

“Equal” sign
Step 2: Type “NORMSINV” in the cell D4 and then double click to select
the function.

Double click on
the
“NORMSINV”
function
Step 3: Click on cell D2 to select the data “p=1.5.”

Cell D2
selected
Step 4: Click “Enter” to get the result, i.e. z-value.

Z-value
Example: Consider the following data in the excel sheet.
Step 1: To call a function in the cell D5, you should write the “=” sign.

“Equal”
sign
Step 2: Type “NORMSINV” in the cell D5 and then double click to select
the function.

Double click to
select the
“NORMSINV”
function
Step 3: Click on cell D5 to select the data “p=0.308538” and on cell D6
to select the data “p=0.691462” to obtain z-value of the distribution.

Cell D3 selected

Cell D2
selected
Step 4: Click “Enter” to get z-value.

Z-value
obtained