Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data55m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically1h 45m
- 4. Probability2h 16m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables2h 33m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables1h 38m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 3m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 12m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample1h 1m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples2h 8m
- 11. Correlation48m
- 12. Regression1h 4m
- 13. Chi-Square Tests & Goodness of Fit1h 20m
- 14. ANOVA1h 0m
6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables
Standard Normal Distribution
Problem 6.r.1c
Textbook Question
Bone Density Test A bone mineral density test is used to identify a bone disease. The result of a bone density test is commonly measured as a z score, and the population of z scores is normally distributed with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.
c. For a randomly selected subject, find the probability of a bone density test score between -0.67 and 1.29.

1
Step 1: Understand the problem. The z-scores are normally distributed with a mean (μ) of 0 and a standard deviation (σ) of 1. We are tasked with finding the probability that a randomly selected z-score lies between -0.67 and 1.29.
Step 2: Recall that the probability of a z-score falling between two values can be found using the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the standard normal distribution. The formula for this is P(a ≤ Z ≤ b) = P(Z ≤ b) - P(Z ≤ a), where Z is the standard normal variable.
Step 3: Use the standard normal table (or a statistical software) to find the cumulative probabilities for the z-scores -0.67 and 1.29. Specifically, find P(Z ≤ 1.29) and P(Z ≤ -0.67).
Step 4: Subtract the cumulative probability of the lower z-score from the cumulative probability of the higher z-score. This gives P(-0.67 ≤ Z ≤ 1.29) = P(Z ≤ 1.29) - P(Z ≤ -0.67).
Step 5: Interpret the result. The value obtained represents the probability that a randomly selected subject has a bone density test score between -0.67 and 1.29. This probability can be expressed as a percentage if needed.

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
3mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Z Score
A z score indicates how many standard deviations an element is from the mean of a distribution. In the context of a bone density test, a z score of 0 represents the average bone density, while positive and negative values indicate above or below average densities, respectively. Understanding z scores is crucial for interpreting test results and assessing the likelihood of certain outcomes.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Z-Scores From Given Probability - TI-84 (CE) Calculator
Normal Distribution
Normal distribution is a probability distribution that is symmetric about the mean, depicting that data near the mean are more frequent in occurrence than data far from the mean. In this case, the z scores of bone density tests follow a normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1, which allows for the application of statistical methods to calculate probabilities and make inferences about the population.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Finding Standard Normal Probabilities using z-Table
Probability Calculation
Probability calculation involves determining the likelihood of a specific event occurring within a defined set of outcomes. For the bone density test, calculating the probability of a score falling between -0.67 and 1.29 requires using the properties of the normal distribution, specifically the cumulative distribution function (CDF), to find the area under the curve between these two z scores.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Probability From Given Z-Scores - TI-84 (CE) Calculator
Watch next
Master Finding Standard Normal Probabilities using z-Table with a bite sized video explanation from Patrick
Start learning