Skip to content Skip to navigation

Connexions

You are here: Home » Content » Normal Distribution: Normal Distribution Lab I (edited: Teegarden)

Navigation

Content Actions
  • Download module PDF
  • Add to ...
    Add the module to:
    • My Favorites
    • A lens
    • An external social bookmarking service
    • My Favorites (What is 'My Favorites'?)
      'My Favorites' is a special kind of lens which you can use to bookmark modules and collections directly in Connexions. 'My Favorites' can only be seen by you, and collections saved in 'My Favorites' can remember the last module you were on. You need a Connexions account to use 'My Favorites'.
    • A lens (What is a lens?)

      Definition of a lens

      Lenses

      A lens is a custom view of Connexions content. You can think of it as a fancy kind of list that will let you see Connexions through the eyes of organizations and people you trust.

      What is in a lens?

      Lens makers point to Connexions materials (modules and collections), creating a guide that includes their own comments and descriptive tags about the content.

      Who can create a lens?

      Any individual Connexions member, a community, or a respected organization.

    • External bookmarks
  • E-mail the author

Recently Viewed

This feature requires Javascript to be enabled.

Normal Distribution: Normal Distribution Lab I (edited: Teegarden)

Module by: Mary Teegarden Based on: Normal Distribution: Normal Distribution Lab I by Dr. Barbara Illowsky, Susan Dean

Summary: Labs changed to incorporate mini-tabs.

Class Time:

Name:

Student Learning Outcome:

  • The student will compare and contrast empirical data and a theoretical distribution.
  • Find Probabilities for specific Normal Distributions

The Situation

It is generally accepted that the mean body temperature is 98.6 degrees. If a sample of size 100 resulted in a sample mean of 98.3 degrees with a standard deviation of 0.64 degrees. Does this sample suggest that the mean body temperature is actually lower than 98.6 degrees?

Simulation:

Using Minitab (Calc -> Random Data-> Normal), genrate 100 values from a normally distributed population with a mean of 98.6 degrees and a standard deviation of 0.63 degrees (using the sample standard deviation since the population deviation is unknown)

Data Collection

Repeat the simulation 9 more times for a total of 10. Find the sample mean for each and record it below. (Requesting the data be stored in c2-c10 will generate the remaining 9 columns of data with one command. Then use Stats -> Basic Stats -> Display Descriptive and select all 10 columns.)

___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Analyze the Data

Given the original data showed a mean temperature of 98.3 degrees, what might you conclude from your simulations? Is if likely to obtain a sample of size 100 with a mean temperature of 98.3 degrees? Explain.

Finding Probabilities for Normal Distribution

Using Minitab, Calc -> Probability Distributions -> Normal, find the probabilities.

  1. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 0, and a standard deviation of 1, find the probability of a value less than 1.25.__________________
  2. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 25, and a standard deviation of 3, find the probability of a value greater than 21.25.__________________
  3. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 100, and a standard deviation of 20, find the probability of a value between 87 and 122.__________________
  4. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 150, and a standard deviation of 35, what value has an area of 0.34 to the left?________________
  5. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 150, and a standard deviation of 35, what value has an area of 0.34 to the right?________________
  6. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 15, and a standard deviation of 2, what value has an area of 0.8 to the left?________________
  7. Given a population with a normal distribution, a mean of 200, and a standard deviation of 15, which two values form the upper and lower boundary of the middle 80%?_______________________________

Comments, questions, feedback, criticisms?

Send feedback