Lesson 4:

Enhancing
Knowledge of
Probabilities under
the Normal Curve
Activity: True or False. If False, write False and modify the
statement to make it true.
1. Probability is a mathematics of change.
2. A maximum probability value is 1.
3. A probability value ranges from -2 to 1.
4. The minimum probability value is 100.
5. The standard normal curve is a probability distribution.
6. The mean of a standard probability distribution splits the distribution into two
halves.
7. Under the normal curve, area refers to a graphic representation of proportion.
8. The area at the tails of a normal curve are very small values values.
9. It is not possible to obtain a probability of 0.000001 under the normal curve.
10. An area under the curve may be stated as a proportion or probability or
percentage.
 Recall that a standard normal distribution is a probability
distribution with 𝜇 = 0 and 𝜎 = 1. You have also learned that a
random variable with a standard normal distribution, denoted by X,
is called a standard normal random variable. All probabilities
associated with the standard normal random variables can be
depicted as areas under the standard normal curve. Thus, an area
may be expressed as a probability.
In the past lesson, we used the ff. probability notations in
expressing desired areas under the normal curve.
𝑃(𝑎 < 𝑧 < 𝑏) denotes the probability that the z score is between a
and b.
𝑃(𝑧 > 𝑎) denotes the probability that the z score is greater than a.
𝑃 𝑧 < 𝑏 denotes the probability that the z score is less than a,
where a and b are z-score values.
 Let us use the same notation as we take a closer
look at the standard normal distribution.
The standard normal distribution is a continuous
probability distribution. So, 𝑃 𝑧 = 𝑎 = 0. This implies
that with infinitely many different possible values, the
probability of getting any one exact value is 0.
Consider z = 1.25 exactly. The graph would be a
vertical line above 1.25. But the vertical line contains
no area, so 𝑃 𝑧 = 1.25 = 0. With any continuous
random variable, the probability of any exact value is
0. Thus, it follows that 𝑃 𝑎 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 𝑏 = 𝑃 𝑎 < 𝑧 < 𝑏 .
Example 1: Find the proportion of the
area greater than z = 1.
Solution:
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides with
z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the curve
by drawing a vertical line through the z = 1.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The
region suggests subtraction of areas. From the z
Table, read the area associated with the given z
value.
𝒛 = 𝟏 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑
Step 5: Compute the proportion of the area of the
required region and express the result as a probability.
𝑷 𝒛 > 𝟏 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎 − 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟓𝟖𝟕 𝒐𝒓 𝟏𝟓. 𝟖𝟕%

Thus, the proportion of the area under the curve

greater than z = 1 is 0.1587 or 15.87%.
Example 2: Find the proportion of the area above
z = -1.
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and indicate the mean. This
mean coincides with z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the curve by drawing a vertical
line through z = -1.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The region
suggests addition of areas. From the z Table, read the area
associated with the given z value.
𝒛 = 𝟏 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑
Step 5: Compute the area and express the result as probability.
𝑃 𝑧 ≻ 1 = 0.3413 + 0.5000 = 0.8413 𝑜𝑟 84.13%
Thus, the proportion of the area above z = -1 is 0.8413 or 84.13%.
Example 3: Find the proportion of the area
below z = 1.
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides
with z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the
curve by drawing a vertical line through z
value.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Example 3: Find the proportion of the area
below z = 1.
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The
region suggests addition of areas. From the z Table, read
the area associated with the given z value.
𝒛 = 𝟏 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑
Step 5: Compute the area and express the result as
probability.
𝑃 𝑧 < 1 = 0.3413 + 0.5000 = 0.8413 𝑜𝑟 84.13%
Thus, the proportion of the area above z = -1 is 0.8413 or
84.13%.
Example 4: What is the proportion of
the area to the left of z = -1.2?
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides
with z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the
curve by drawing a vertical line through z
= -1.2
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Example 4: What is the proportion of the
area to the left of z = -1.2?
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded
region. The region suggests addition of areas.
From the z Table, read the area associated
with the given z value.
𝒛 = 𝟏. 𝟐 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟖𝟒𝟗, 𝒔𝒐 𝒛 = −𝟏. 𝟐 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟖𝟒𝟗
Step 5: Compute the area and express the
result as probability.
𝑃 𝑧 < 1.2 0.5000 − 0.3849 = 0.1151 𝑜𝑟 11.51%
Example 5: Find the proportion of the
area below z = 1.45
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides with
z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the curve
by drawing a vertical line through z = 1.45.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Example 5: Find the proportion of the area
below z = 1.45
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The
region suggests addition of areas. From the z Table,
read the area associated with the given z value.
𝒛 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟓 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟒𝟐𝟔𝟓
Step 5: Compute the area and express the result as
probability.
𝑃 𝑧 < 1.2 = 0.5000 + 0.4265 = 0.9265 𝑜𝑟 92.65%
Thus, the proportion of the area above z = 1.45 is
equal to 0.9365 or 92.65%.
Example 6: Find the proportion of the
area between z = 1 and z = 2.
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides with
z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the curve
by drawing a vertical line through z = 1 and
z = 2.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Example 6: Find the proportion of the area
between z = 1 and z = 2.
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The
region suggests addition of areas. From the z Table,
read the area associated with the given z value.
𝒛 = 𝟏 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒛 = 𝟐 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝟕𝟐
Step 5: Compute the area and express the result as
probability.
𝑃 1 < 𝑧 < 2 = 0.4772 − 0.3413 = 0.1359 𝑜𝑟 13.59%
Thus, the proportion of the area above z = 1 and z = 2
is 0.1359 or 13.59%.
Example 7: Find the proportion of the
area between z = -1 and z = -2.65
Step 1: Sketch the normal distribution and
indicate the mean. This mean coincides
with z = 0.
Step 2: Identify the region under the
curve by drawing a vertical line through
z = -2.65.
Step 3: Shade the required region.
Example 7: Find the proportion of the area
between z = -1 and z = -2.65
Step 4: Determine the area of the shaded region. The
region suggests addition of areas. From the z Table,
read the area associated with the given z value.
𝒛 = −𝟏 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝟏𝟑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒛 = −𝟐. 𝟔𝟓 ↔ 𝟎. 𝟒𝟗𝟔𝟎
Step 5: Compute the area and express the result as
probability.
𝑃 −2.65 < 𝑧 < −1 = 0.4960 − 0.3413
= 0.1547 𝑜𝑟 15.47%
Thus, the proportion of the area above z = -2.65 and
z =-1 is 0.1547 or 15.47%.
Pair Activity
Use the z Table to find the proportion area that
corresponds to each of the ff. Sketch the label
each curve.
1. Above z = 1.46
2. Below z = -0.58
3. At most z = -1.8
4. At least z = 1.96
5. To the right of z = 0.33
Pair Activity
Use the z Table to find the proportion area that
corresponds to each of the ff. Sketch the label
each curve.
6. Above z = 1.60
7. Below z = -0.18
8. At most z = -1.73
9. At least z = 1.25
10. To the left of z = 0.45