Lab 7 :

Normal Distribution

Time expected to complete lab 2- 4 hours

Time Taken

Objectives Normal
Following completion of this topic, students should be able to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

Read and use Standard Normal Tables;

Visually represent problems using Normal distribution;
Assess normality from histograms, p-plots and q-q plots;
Simulate normal distributions
Calculate centre, spread and probabilities for exponentially distributed random variables;
Simulate Exponential Distributions;
Calibrate the exponential model;
Assess goodness of fit Exponential; and
Frame concepts for continuous and exponential distributions

Resources
-

Check E-Learning site for resources in addition to

Lecture Notes
MacGillivray p476 -478 (but different notation)
SPSS Note 12
E-Learning Videos
Exponential Random Variables

Data
- Lab3Data.sav
- Cars.sav

Resources
-

Check E-Learning site for resources in addition to

Lecture Notes
Standard Normal Tables
MacGillivray pp 103-104, 177-187
SPSS Note 9

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
.

1
Lab Week 9

Task 1: Finding probabilities for standard normal distribution

Illustrate on the curve the area represented by the expression and find the probability.
P(Z<-1.6)= 0.0548

P(Z>-1.6) = 1 0.0548 = 0.9452

P(Z>1.5)= 1 - 0.93319 = 0.06681

P(-1.6<Z<1.5)= 0.93319 0.0548 = 0.87839

Show P(Z<-1.96) = P(Z>1.96) = 1 0.975 = 0.025

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
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2
Lab Week 9

Task 2: Illustrate how to standardize scores & find probabilities

Illustrate on the curve the area represented by the expression and find the probability requested.
Given foot length of females STAT131 is normally distributed
with a mean of 25 cm and standard deviation of 4 cm.

Find P(X<22.5)= (x mean) / std dev

(22.5 25) / 4= -0.63
P(z < -0.63) = 0.2643

P(X>22.5)= (22.5 25) / 4 = -0.63

P(z > -0.63) = 1 0.2643 = 0.7357

P(X<19.5)= (19.5 25) / 4 = -1.38

0.08379

P(19.5<X<22.5)= 0.63 (-1.38) = 2.01

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
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3
Lab Week 9

P(X<19 or X>23)= P(0.2643 < Z < 0.0838)

= 0.2643 - 0.0838 = 0.1805

Task 3: Finding the Z score for a given percent of scores above it

Given z represents the score associated with the score at or above which we expect percent of
scores (Sometimes it represents the opposite). Illustrate on the curve the area represented by the
expression and find the Z score associated with the percentile specified . So find P(Z > ? )=.05
Find z=
Z= 1.65

Find z=
Z= -1.645

Find z= 0.000

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
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4
Lab Week 9

Find z= -1.96

Find z= 1.96

Task 4: Finding raw scores for a given percentile

Given that X the random variable blood pressure for women aged 29 to 40 years, has a mean of
130 and a standard deviation of 10 .
Find the blood pressure value x such that
P(Blood Pressure<x)=
X = (-1.645)(10) + 130 = 113.55

Find the blood pressure value such that 75 % of scores are at or

below that value of Blood pressure
X = (0.675)(10) + 130 = 136.75

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
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5
Lab Week 9

Find the blood pressure value that corresponds to the 25th

percentile
X = (-0.675)(10) + 130 = 123.25

Find the blood pressure value such that 75 % of scores are at or

above that value of Blood pressure
X = 1 0.675 = 0.325

Find the two blood pressure values that contain the middle 50% of
blood pressure values.
P(-0.675 < z < 0.675) = 0.5
P(123.25 < x < 136.75) = 0.5

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
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6
Lab Week 9

Task 5: Define
1.

What is a P-P plot and hence what is a normal P-P plot? (P-P plot, Refer SPSS Help)
The P-P plot plots the observed cumulative probability versus the expected cumulative
probability. This example is plotting what is expected for a normal distribution. It may
however use to plot what is expected for other distribution for other distribution eg.
Exponential.

2.

How is a normal probability plot interpreted?

If the observed data comes from the same underlying population, the data fits the specified
model then the plot should be close to the straight line.

3.

What is a quantile-quantile plot? (Q-Q plot, refer SPSS Help)?

Plots quantile-quantile of a variables distribution against the quantile of any of a number of
test distributions. Probability plots are usually used to determine whether the distribution of
a variable matched given distribution. If selected variables matches the test distribution, the
points cluster around a straight line.

4.

How is a Q-Q plot interpreted?

If the observed data comes from the same underlying population , the data fits the specified
model then the plot should be close to the straight line.

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
.

7
Lab Week 9

Task 6: Assessing normality histograms, P-P plots & Q-Q plots

Resource:

SPSS Note 9.

Use the data for Lab3Data. Create a variable ratio2 by dividing index finger length by left hand
length (Or compute ratio2=index finger length/left hand length). Then Use the following methods
to determine if ratio2 normally distributed?
Produce a frequency

Output:

histogram with the normal

overlay and comment on
how you use the plot to
conclude if the ratio2 is
normally distributed.

Conclusion: the ratio

data look to be skewed
with a longer tail of high
values and shorter tail
of low values than the
normal curve. the peak
of the data is to the left

Produce a P-P plot tested

Output:

against the normal

distribution and comment
on how you use the plot to
conclude if the ratio2 is
normally distributed.

Conclusion: The P-P

plot was contrasted
using the mean of the
data as a parameter.
The observed data
does not form a straight
line. Therefore it is little
far from normality. The
expected cumulative
probability is slightly
higher than observed
cumulative probability
at the lower values, falls
away in the middle part
of the data.

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
.

8
Lab Week 9

Produce a Q-Q plot tested

Output:

against the normal

distribution and comment
on how you use the plot to
conclude if the variable
ratio2 is normally distributed

Conclusion: We can see

that the observed
values are lesser than
expected values at
lower values. The
points fall away from
the straight line,
especially in the tails of
the distributions.

Subject Code: STAT131

University of Wollongong 2011. All rights reserved.
.
.

9
Lab Week 9