CAPITOL UNIVERSITY BASIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Senior High School Department

STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

MODULE 4: NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

LESSON 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NORMAL
CURVE DISTRIBUTION

OBJECTIVES:

In this module, you will be able to:

 understand the concept of the normal distribution;
 state and illustrate the properties of a normal curve distribution;
 recognize the importance of the normal curve in statistical inference.

Properties of the Normal Probability Distribution

 The distribution curve is bell-shaped.

 The curve is symmetrical about its center.
 The mean, the median, and the mode coincide at the center.
 The width of the curve is determined by the standard deviation of
the distribution.
 The tails of the curve flatten out indefinitely along the horizontal
axis, always approaching the axis but never touching it. That is, the
curve is asymptotic to the base line.
 The area under the curve is 1. Thus, it represents the probability or
proportion or the percentage associated with specific sets of
measurement values.
 The standard normal-curve is a normal probability distribution that is most
commonly used as a model for inferential statistics. The equation that describes a
normal curve is:
𝟏 𝐗− 𝛍 𝟐
𝐞 𝟐 𝛔 )
− (
𝐘=
𝛔√𝟐𝛑
where:

Y = height of the curve particular values of X

X = any score in the distribution

σ = standard deviation of the population

μ = mean of the population

π = 3.1416

e = 2.7183

The Standard Normal Curve

A standard normal curve is a normal probability distribution that has a mean μ = 0

and a standard deviation σ = 1.

By substituting the mean, μ= 0 and the standard deviation, σ = 1 in the formula,

mathematicians are able to find areas under the normal curve. Fortunately, these areas

have already been determined for our use.

The TABLE OF AREAS UNDER THE NORMAL CURVE is also known as the Z-TABLE.

The z-score is a measure of relative standing. It is calculated by subtracting μ from the

measurement X and then dividing the result by σ. The final result, the z-score,

represents the distance between a given measurement X and the mean, expressed in

standard deviations. Either the z-score locates X within a sample or within a population.
 Table of Areas beneath a Normal Curve

This table shows the area between zero (the mean of the standard normal
variable) and z. For example, if z=1.61, look at the row titled 1.6 and then move
over to the column titled .01 to get the result .4463.

s .00 .01 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .07 .08 .09

0.0 .0000 .0040 .0080 .0120 .0150 .0199 .0239 .0279 .0319 .0359

0.1 .0398 .0438 .0478 .0517 .0557 .0596 .0636 .0675 .0714 .0754
0.2 .0793 .0832 .0871 .0910 .0948 .0987 .1026 .1064 .1103 .1141
0.3 .1179 .1217 .1253 .1293 .1331 .1368 .1406 .1443 .1480 .1517
0.4 .1554 .1591 .1628 .1664 .1700 .1736 .1772 .1808 .1844 .1879
0.5 .1915 .1950 .1985 .2019 .2054 .2088 .2123 .2157 .2190 .2224
0.6 .2258 .2291 .2324 .2357 .2389 .2422 .2454 .2486 .2518 .2549
0.7 .2580 .2612 .2642 .2673 .2704 .2734 .2764 .2794 .2823 .2852
0.8 .2881 .2910 .2939 .2967 .2996 .3023 .3051 .3078 .3106 .3133
0.9 .3159 .3186 .3212 .3288 .3264 .3289 .3315 .3340 .3365 .3389
1.0 .3413 .3438 .3461 .3485 .3508 .3531 .3554 .3557 .3559 .3621
1.1 .3642 .3665 .3686 .3708 .3729 .3749 .3770 .3790 .3810 .3830
1.2 .3849 .3869 .3888 .3907 .3925 .3944 .3962 .3980 .3997 .4015
1.3 .4032 .4049 .4066 .4082 .4099 .4115 .4131 .4147 .4162 .4177
1.4 .4192 .4207 .4222 .4236 .4251 .4265 .4279 .4292 .4306 .4319
1.5 .4332 .4345 .4357 .4370 .4382 .4394 .4406 .4418 .4429 .4441
1.6 .4452 .4463 .4474 .4484 .4495 .4505 .4515 .4525 .4535 .4545
1.7 .4554 .4564 .4573 .4582 .4591 .4599 .4608 .4616 .4625 .4633
1.8 .4641 .4649 .4656 .4664 .4671 .4678 .4686 .4693 .4699 .4706
1.9 .4713 .4719 .4726 .4732 .4738 .4744 .4750 .4756 .4761 .4767
2.0 .4772 .4778 .4783 .4788 .4793 .4798 .4803 .4808 .4812 .4817
2.1 .4821 .4826 .4830 .4834 .4838 .4842 .4846 .4850 .4854 .4857
2.2 .4861 .4864 .4868 .4871 .4875 .4878 .4881 .4884 .4887 .4890
2.3 .4893 .4896 .4898 .4901 .4904 .4906 .4909 .4911 .4913 .4916
2.4 .4918 .4920 .4922 .4925 .4927 .4929 .4931 .4932 .4934 .4936
2.5 .4938 .4940 .4941 .4943 .4945 .4946 .4948 .4949 .4951 .4952
2.6 .4953 .4955 .4956 .4957 .4959 .4960 .4961 .4962 .4963 .4964
2.7 .4965 .4966 .4967 .4968 .4969 .4970 .4971 .4972 .4973 .4974
2.8 .4974 .4975 .4976 .4977 .4977 .4978 .4979 .4979 .4980 .4981
2.9 .4981 .4982 .4982 .4983 .4984 .4984 .4985 .4985 .4986 .4986
3.0 .4987 .4987 .4987 .4988 .4988 .4989 .4989 .4989 .4990 .4990
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 Steps in Finding the Areas under the Normal Curve Given a z-Value

1. Express the given z-value into a three-digit form.

2. Using the z-table, find the first two digits on the left column.
3. Match the third digit with the appropriate column on the right.
4. Read the area (or probability) at the intersection of the row and the column. This
is the required area.

EXAMPLES

1. Find the area that corresponds to z=1.

Steps Solution
1. Express the given into a three-digit
z = 1.00
form.
2. In the table, find the Row z = 1.00
3. In the table, find the Column with the
heading .00.
4. Read the area (or probability) at the
This area is 0.3413. This is the required
intersection of Row 1.0 and the Column
area.
.00.

2. Find the area that corresponds to z=1.36.

Steps Solution
1. Express the given into a three-digit
z = 1.36 (as is)
form.
2. In the table, find the Row z = 1.3
3. In the table, find the Column with the
heading .06.
4. Read the area (or probability) at the
This area is 0.4131. This is the required
intersection of Row 1.3 and the Column
area.
.06.

3. Find the area that corresponds to z= -2.58. (The area that corresponds to z = 2.58 is
the same as the area that corresponds to z = -2.58.)

Steps Solution
1. Express the given into a three-digit
z = 2.58
form.
2. In the table, find the Row z = 2.5
3. In the table, find the Column with
the heading .08.
4. Read the area (or probability) at the This area is 0.4951. This is the
intersection of Row 2.5 and the Column .08. required area.