Honors Algebra II Trig

Statistics Worksheet #2: Normal Curves, z-scores, and the Empirical Rule
8. Use the table above to answer the questions that follow.
9. Sketch a normal curve then use a table of standard normal probabilities to find the following:

A. 𝑃𝑃(𝑧𝑧 < 1.88) = B. 𝑃𝑃(𝑧𝑧 > −0.89) = C. 𝑃𝑃(−2.95 < 𝑧𝑧 < −1.12) =

D. 𝑃𝑃(𝑧𝑧 > 2.25) = E. 𝑃𝑃(𝑧𝑧 < −1.68) = F. 𝑃𝑃(−0.29 < 𝑧𝑧 < 3.14) =

10. Suppose that a particular medical procedure has a cost that is approximately normally distributed with a
mean of $19,800 and a standard deviation of $2,900. For a randomly selected patient, use a table of
standard normal probabilities to help find the probabilities of the following events.

A. The procedure costs between $18,000 and B. The procedure costs less than $15,000.
$22,000.

C. The procedure costs more than $17,250.

D. If you choose 200 patients at random, approximately how many would you expect to find that paid
more than $17,250 for the procedure?
Use the following information for Problems 11 − 13:
Suppose the distribution of GPAs at Jefferson High School has a mean of 2.7 and a standard deviation of 0.37. The
GPAs at Washington High School has a mean of 2.8 and a standard deviation of 0.33.

11. Ted, a student at Washington High School, has a GPA of 3.25.

A. Calculate his z-score. B. What does the z-score tell you about Ted’s GPA?

12. Frank, at Jefferson High School, has a GPA of 3.17.

A. Calculate his z-score B. What does his z-score tell you about Frank’s GPA?

13. Which of them has the higher GPA relative to his peers (at his school)? Justify using z-scores.

14. Data from the National Vital Statistics Report reveal that the distribution of the duration of human
pregnancies is approximately normal with mean 𝜇𝜇 = 270 and standard deviation 𝜎𝜎 = 15. Use the table of
standard normal probabilities to determine the probability that a given pregnancy comes to term in:
A. less than 244 days (about 8 months). B. more than 275 days (about 9 months).

C. over 300 days. D. between 260 and 280 days.

15. In 2012, the mean SAT math score was 514, and the standard deviation was 117. For the purposes of this
question, assume that the scores were normally distributed. Using a table of standard normal probabilities, find
the probability that a randomly selected SAT math student in 2012 scored:
A. Between 400 and 480. B. Less than 350.

C. Higher than 600

ANSWER KEY

1. 50 2. 50 3. 68 4. 95 5. 99.7

6a. 68% b. 47.5% c. 97.35% d. 0.15% e. 2.5% f. 950 g. 47

7a. 68% b. 95% c. 81.5% d. 0.15% e. 50% f. 170 g. 340

h. 95 i. 67.5 j. 12.5

8a. 73.04 b. The female is relatively taller. The male is actually taller.
c. No. His width is 16.68”. d. 16% e. About 74.9” f. 63.5 to 74.1 inches
g. 58.6” h. 71.45”

9a. 0.9699 b. 0.8133 c. 0.1298 d. 0.0122 e. 0.0465 f. 0.6033

10a. 0.5088 b. 0.0485 c. 0.8106 d. About 162.12

11a. 1.36 b. His gpa is 1.36 standard deviations above his school’s mean

12a. 1.27 b. His gpa is 1.27 standard deviations above his school’s mean

13. Ted. His z-score is higher

14a. 0.0418 b. 0.3707 c. 0.0228 d. 0.4972

15a. 0.2199 b. 0.0808 c. 0.2296