The document discusses the normal distribution and related concepts. It defines the normal distribution as a bell-shaped density curve that is completely described by its mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ). It presents the empirical rule, which states that about 68% of the data lies within 1 standard deviation of the mean, 95% within 2 standard deviations, and 99.7% within 3 standard deviations. An example is given of crabs whose frontal lobe size is normally distributed, and calculations are shown to find the proportion of crabs within and outside given size ranges.
The document discusses the normal distribution and related concepts. It defines the normal distribution as a bell-shaped density curve that is completely described by its mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ). It presents the empirical rule, which states that about 68% of the data lies within 1 standard deviation of the mean, 95% within 2 standard deviations, and 99.7% within 3 standard deviations. An example is given of crabs whose frontal lobe size is normally distributed, and calculations are shown to find the proportion of crabs within and outside given size ranges.
The document discusses the normal distribution and related concepts. It defines the normal distribution as a bell-shaped density curve that is completely described by its mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ). It presents the empirical rule, which states that about 68% of the data lies within 1 standard deviation of the mean, 95% within 2 standard deviations, and 99.7% within 3 standard deviations. An example is given of crabs whose frontal lobe size is normally distributed, and calculations are shown to find the proportion of crabs within and outside given size ranges.
The document discusses the normal distribution and related concepts. It defines the normal distribution as a bell-shaped density curve that is completely described by its mean (μ) and standard deviation (σ). It presents the empirical rule, which states that about 68% of the data lies within 1 standard deviation of the mean, 95% within 2 standard deviations, and 99.7% within 3 standard deviations. An example is given of crabs whose frontal lobe size is normally distributed, and calculations are shown to find the proportion of crabs within and outside given size ranges.
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The Normal Distribution
Density Curves We've seen several ways to graphically display the distribution of a variable. However, we haven't seen them all. Another method (for continuous variables only) is a density curve. A Density Curve measures the proportion of the data that take on certain values with the area under a curve. Figure 1 shows some density curves.
Figure 1 - Some Density Curves
There are two rules that make a curve a valid density curve: the curve must be drawn above the x-axis, and the total area under the curve must be 1 (since area represents proportion, or probability). Finding the area under a curve is in the realm of Calculus. Fortunately, there are only a few curves that are of interest; and the areas under those curves have been found and made into tables (and handy calculator functions). We'll look at three different density curves this year.
The Normal Distribution
The most important density curve—the most important type of distribution—is the normal distribution. The normal distribution is also called: normal curve; bell curve; mound-shaped; Gaussian distribution.
Properties The normal distribution is symmetric—thus, its mean and median should be equal. There are two numbers that completely describe a normal distribution: µ, and σ. µ is the center—the population mean—and is in the center of the curve. σ is the (population) standard deviation, and can also be found from the curve. In Figure 2, a normal curve is shown. One vertical bar is at µ. The other vertical bar is at the point where the curve stops falling and starts sliding—also know as the Inflection Point (another item from Calculus). The distance between these lines is σ.
HOLLOMAN’S AP STATISTICS APS NOTES 02, PAGE 1 OF 3
Figure 2 - A Normal Curve
The Empirical Rule
The area under a normal curve between µ – σ and µ + σ is about 68%; between µ – 2σ and µ + 2σ is about 95%; and between µ – 3σ and µ + 3σ is about 99.7%. This is called the Empirical Rule, and can be used to approximate probabilities.
An Example [1.] The size of the frontal lobe of members of the Leptograpsus variegatus species (Australian crab) varies normally with mean 15.6mm and standard deviation 3.5mm. What proportion of these crabs have frontal lobe measurements between 12.1mm and 19.1mm? Greater than 22.6mm? We are given µ = 15.6 and σ = 3.5. Notice that 12.1 = µ – σ, and 19.1 = µ + σ. Thus, the proportion of crabs with frontal lobes between these measurements is about 68%. 22.6 = µ + 2σ…95% of these measurements are between 8.6 and 22.6; so 5% must be lower than 8.6 OR higher than 22.6. Since the normal curve is symmetric about µ, the proportion above 22.6 must be about 2.5%.
The Standard Normal Distribution
If you want to calculate proportions (probabilities; areas) at points that are not covered by the Empirical Rule, then you've got to know some calculus—but I promised that we'd not have to go there. And we don't—because there is one normal curve that can be used to find areas (proportions, probability) for all normal curves. That normal curve is called the Standard Normal. This is the normal curve with µ = 0 and σ = 1.
Standardizing The trick is turning your variable (that has a normal distribution) into one that has a standard normal distribution. This process is called standardizing. The formula is shown in Equation 1. Equation 1 - Standardizing Formula x − µx z= σx We typically reserve z for a variable with a standard normal distribution—so sometimes the standard normal is called the Z Distribution.
Using the Z Chart
Once we've converted any values of our original variable (x) into standard normal values (z), then it's time to use the Z Chart. The chart lists its z values (from about -3.4 to 3.4) to two decimal places. The units and tenths are found on the left margin of the page; the hundredths digit is found along the top row. At the intersection of the row and column for your z, you will
HOLLOMAN’S AP STATISTICS APS NOTES 02, PAGE 2 OF 3
find the area under the Standard Normal Curve (N(0,1)) to the left of that z. If you want the area to the right, or the area between two z values, you'll have to use two important properties of N(0,1)—symmetry, and the total area under the curve is 1.
Inverse Normal Calculations
Of course, you don't always start with a variable and then find out how often it occurs. Sometimes, you know how often something occurs (or how often you want it to occur), and you need to find the value of the variable that'll make it happen. This is called an Inverse Normal Calculation. It works exactly backwards from a regular problem. In a regular problem, we take an x and make it a z; then we look that z up in the chart; then we read off the left-hand area. For an Inverse problem, we start by finding the left-hand area in the chart; then we read z, then we change z back into x. You should be able to (easily) do the algebra required to change z back to x.
Examples [2.] Back to our crab example—what proportion of crabs have frontal lobes larger than 18mm? So we're trying to solve P(x > 18). Since x has a normal distribution, we can standardize. x − µ x 18 − 15.6 z= = ≈ 0.69 . So P(x > 18) = P(z > 0.69). When we look up z = 0.69, the chart σx 3.5 reads 0.7549—but that's the left hand area; we want the right hand area. Fortunately, we know the total area is 1; so the area to the left and the area to the right must add to 1. Thus, the right hand area must be 1 – 0.7549 = 0.2451.
[3.] How small are the smallest 1% of these crabs?
In other words, what frontal lobe size has a left-hand area of 0.01? Look at the chart—in the body, look for a left-hand area close to 0.01. The closest area is 0.0099, which is for z = -2.33. Plug that into the formula for z, plus the mean of 15.6 and the standard deviation of 3.5, and solve—7.445mm.
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