Chapter 5: Problem 49
In a normal distribution with \(\mu=-15\) and \(\sigma=0.4\) find the \(x\) -value that corresponds to the a) 46 th percentile b) 92 nd percentile
Short Answer
Expert verified
For the 46th percentile, x ≈ -15.04. For the 92nd percentile, x ≈ -14.44.
Step by step solution
01
- Understand what the percentile means
Percentiles indicate the relative standing of a value within a distribution. The 46th percentile means 46% of the data falls below this value, and the 92nd percentile means 92% of the data falls below this value.
02
- Convert percentiles to z-scores
Use a z-score table or calculator to find the z-scores corresponding to the 46th and 92nd percentiles. The z-score for the 46th percentile is approximately -0.1 and for the 92nd percentile is approximately 1.41.
03
- Use the z-score formula for each percentile
The z-score formula is: ewline \( z = \dfrac{x - \mu}{\sigma} \). ewline Rearranging for x gives: \( x = z \cdot \sigma + \mu \).
04
- Calculate the x-value for the 46th percentile
For the 46th percentile: ewline \( z = -0.1 \), ewline Using the parameters ewline \( \mu = -15 \) and \( \sigma = 0.4 \), ewline \( x = -0.1 \cdot 0.4 - 15 \). ewline Therefore, \( x = -0.04 - 15 = -15.04 \).
05
- Calculate the x-value for the 92nd percentile
For the 92nd percentile: ewline \( z = 1.41 \), ewline Using the parameters ewline \( \mu = -15 \) and \( \sigma = 0.4 \), ewline \( x = 1.41 \cdot 0.4 - 15 \). ewline Therefore, \( x = 0.564 - 15 = -14.436 \).
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Z-Scores
In statistics, a z-score represents the number of standard deviations a data point is from the mean. It is a crucial concept when dealing with normal distribution. The formula for z-score is: \( z = \dfrac{x - \mu}{\sigma} \). Here, \(x\) is the value in the data set, \(\mu\) is the mean, and \(\sigma\) is the standard deviation. Z-scores help us understand where a particular value fits within the distribution. For example, a z-score of 0 means the value is exactly at the mean. Negative z-scores indicate values below the mean, while positive z-scores indicate values above the mean.
Normal Distribution Properties
The normal distribution is a continuous probability distribution that is symmetrical around its mean, \(\mu\). It has several key properties that make it useful in statistics:
- It is defined by two parameters: mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\).
- The mean, median, and mode of the distribution are all equal.
- Approximately 68% of the data lies within one standard deviation (\(\mu \pm \sigma\)).
- About 95% of the data falls within two standard deviations (\(\mu \pm 2\sigma\)).
- Nearly 99.7% of the data is within three standard deviations (\(\mu \pm 3\sigma\)).
Percentile Calculation
Percentiles are used to understand the relative standing of a value in a dataset. The kth percentile is the value below which k% of the data falls. To find the value corresponding to a specific percentile in a normal distribution, follow these steps:
- Determine the z-score that corresponds to the desired percentile using a z-score table or calculator. For example, the z-score for the 46th percentile is approximately -0.1, and for the 92nd percentile, it is around 1.41.
- Use the z-score formula rearranged to solve for \(x\): \( x = z \cdot \sigma + \mu \).
- Substitute the z-score, mean (\(\mu\)), and standard deviation (\(\sigma\)) into the formula to find the x-value. For example, with \(\mu = -15 \) and \(\sigma = 0.4 \), the x-value for the 46th percentile is \( x = -0.1 \cdot 0.4 - 15 = -15.04 \), and for the 92nd percentile, \( x = 1.41 \cdot 0.4 - 15 = -14.436 \).