-Lesson 6.
Z-score
Learning objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Understand the concept of a Z-score and its role in standardizing values in a normal distribution.
2. Apply the Z-score formula to calculate the Z-score of a given data point within a sample or population.
3. Interpret Z-scores in real-life contexts to make informed decisions based on statistical analysis.
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Table Under Normal Curve or z-table
Z 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09
0.0 0.0000 0.0040 0.0080 0.0120 0.0160 0.0199 0.0239 0.0279 0.0319 0.0359
0.1 0.0398 0.0438 0.0478 0.0517 0.0557 0.0596 0.0636 0.0675 0.0714 0.0753
0.2 0.0793 0.0832 0.0871 0.0910 0.0948 0.0987 0.1026 0.1064 0.1103 0.1141
0.3 0.1179 0.1217 0.1255 0.1293 0.1331 0.1368 0.1406 0.1443 0.1480 0.1517
0.4 0.1554 0.1591 0.1628 0.1664 0.1700 0.1736 0.1772 0.1808 0.1844 0.1879
0.5 0.1915 0.1950 0.1985 0.2019 0.2054 0.2088 0.2123 0.2157 0.2190 0.2224
0.6 0.2257 0.2291 0.2324 0.2357 0.2389 0.2422 0.2454 0.2486 0.2517 0.2549
0.7 0.2580 0.2611 0.2642 0.2673 0.2704 0.2734 0.2764 0.2794 0.2823 0.2852
0.8 0.2881 0.2910 0.2939 0.2967 0.2995 0.3023 0.3051 0.3078 0.3106 0.3133
0.9 0.3159 0.3186 0.3212 0.3238 0.3264 0.3289 0.3315 0.3340 0.3365 0.3389
1.0 0.3413 0.3438 0.3461 0.3485 0.3508 0.3531 0.3554 0.3577 0.3599 0.3621
1.1 0.3643 0.3665 0.3686 0.3708 0.3729 0.3749 0.3770 0.3790 0.3810 0.3830
1.2 0.3849 0.3869 0.3888 0.3907 0.3925 0.3944 0.3962 0.3980 0.3997 0.4015
1.3 0.4032 0.4049 0.4066 0.4082 0.4099 0.4115 0.4131 0.4147 0.4162 0.4177
1.4 0.4192 0.4207 0.4222 0.4236 0.4251 0.4265 0.4279 0.4292 0.4306 0.4319
1.5 0.4332 0.4345 0.4357 0.4370 0.4382 0.4394 0.4406 0.4418 0.4429 0.4441
1.6 0.4452 0.4463 0.4474 0.4484 0.4495 0.4505 0.4515 0.4525 0.4535 0.4545
1.7 0.4554 0.4564 0.4573 0.4582 0.4591 0.4599 0.4608 0.4616 0.4625 0.4633
1.8 0.4641 0.4649 0.4656 0.4664 0.4671 0.4678 0.4686 0.4693 0.4699 0.4706
1.9 0.4713 0.4719 0.4726 0.4732 0.4738 0.4744 0.4750 0.4756 0.4761 0.4767
2.0 0.4772 0.4778 0.4783 0.4788 0.4793 0.4798 0.4803 0.4808 0.4812 0.4817
2.1 0.4821 0.4826 0.4830 0.4834 0.4838 0.4842 0.4846 0.4850 0.4854 0.4857
2.2 0.4861 0.4864 0.4868 0.4871 0.4875 0.4878 0.4881 0.4884 0.4887 0.4890
2.3 0.4893 0.4896 0.4898 0.4901 0.4904 0.4906 0.4909 0.4911 0.4913 0.4916
2.4 0.4918 0.4920 0.4922 0.4925 0.4927 0.4929 0.4931 0.4932 0.4934 0.4936
2.5 0.4938 0.4940 0.4941 0.4943 0.4945 0.4946 0.4948 0.4949 0.4951 0.4952
2.6 0.4953 0.4955 0.4956 0.4957 0.4959 0.4960 0.4961 0.4962 0.4963 0.4964
2.7 0.4965 0.4966 0.4967 0.4968 0.4969 0.4970 0.4971 0.4972 0.4973 0.4974
2.8 0.4974 0.4975 0.4976 0.4977 0.4977 0.4978 0.4979 0.4979 0.4980 0.4981
2.9 0.4981 0.4982 0.4982 0.4983 0.4984 0.4984 0.4985 0.4985 0.4986 0.4986
3.0 0.4987 0.4987 0.4987 0.4988 0.4988 0.4989 0.4989 0.4989 0.4990 0.4990
For values of z above 3.09, use 0.4999 for the area
Adopted from Mario F. Triola. (1995). Elementary Statistics. 6 th ed. New York: Addison-Wesley.
Four-Step Process in Finding the Areas Under the Normal Curve Given a z-Value
Step 1. Express the given z-value into a three-digit form.
Step 2. Using z-Table, find the first two digits on the left column.
Step 3. Match the third digit with the appropriate column on the right.
Step 4. Read the area (or probability) at the intersection of the row and the column. This is the required
area.
Examples:
1. Find the area that corresponds to z=1
Finding the are that corresponds to z=1 is the same as finding the area between z=0 and z=1.
Steps Solution
1. Express the given into a three-digit
z=1.00
form.
2. In the table, find the Row z=1
3. In the table, find the Column with
the heading .00
4. Read the area (or probability) at the
intersection of Row 1.0 and the This area is 0.3413. this is the required area.
Column .00.
2. Find the area that corresponds to z=1.36
Steps Solution
1. Express the given into a three-digit
z=1.36 (as is)
form.
2. In the table, find the Row z=1.3
3. In the table, find the Column with
the heading .06
4. Read the area (or probability) at the
intersection of Row 1.3 and the This area is 0.4131. this is the required area.
Column .06.
Find the corresponding area between z=0 and each of the following:
a. z=0.96
b. z=1.74
c. z=2.18
d. z=2.69
e. z=3.00
The z-score
The areas under the normal curve are given in terms of z-values or scores. Either the z-score locates X
within a sample or within a population
The formula for calculating z is:
X−μ
z= ( z−score for population data )
σ
X− X
z= ( z−score for sample data)
s
Where:
X = given measurement
µ = population mean
= population standard deviation
X = sample mean
s = sample population standard
What is the importance of the z-scores? Raw scores may be composed of large values, but large values
cannot be accommodated at the base line of the normal curve. So, they have to be transformed into scores
for convenience without sacrificing meaning associated with the raw scores.
For any population, the mean and the standard deviation are fixed. Thus, the z formula matches the z-
values one-to-one with the X values (raw scores). That is, for every X value there corresponds a z-value and for
each z-value there is exactly one X value.
The z-values are matched with specific areas under the normal curve in a normal distribution table.
Therefore, if we wish to find the percentage associated with X, we must find its matched z-value using z-
formula. The z-value leads to the area under the curve found in the normal curve table, which is a probability,
and that probability gives the desired percentage for X.
The following examples illustrate these concepts.
Examples:
1. Reading Scores
Given the mean, μ=50 and the standard deviation, σ =4 of a population of Reading scores. Find
the z-value that corresponds to a score X =58.
Steps Solution
1. Use the computing formula for X−μ
z=
finding z-scores of population data. σ
2. Check the given values. Since these
are population values, the z-score μ=50 ,σ =4 ,∧ X=58
locates X within a population.
3. Substitute the given values in the 58−50
z=
computing formula. 4
4. Compute the z-value. 8
z= =2
4
Thus, the z-value that corresponds to the
raw score 58 is 2 in population distribution
2. Score in PE
Locate the z-value that corresponds to a PE score of 39 given that μ=45 and σ =6.
Steps Solution
1. Use the computing formula for X−μ
z=
finding z-scores of population data. σ
2. Check the given values. The z-score
μ=45 , σ =6 ,∧ X=39
locates X within a population.
3. Substitute the given values in the 39−45
z=
computing formula. 6
4. Compute the z-value. −6
z= =−1
6
Thus, the z-value that corresponds to the
raw score 39 is -1 in population distribution
With respect to the mean, the score 39 is below the population mean. We can also say that the score
39 is below average.
3. Score in a Science Test
Given X =20 , X=26∧s=4 . Compute the corresponding z-score
Steps Solution
1. Use the computing formula for X− X
z=
finding z-scores of sample data. s
2. Check the given values. The z-score
X =26 , s=4 ,∧ X=20
locates X within a sample.
3. Substitute the given values in the 20−26
z=
computing formula. 4
4. Compute the z-value. −6 −3
z= = =−1.5
4 2
Thus, the z-value that corresponds to the
raw score 20 is -1.5 to the left of the sample
mean.
