Finding z-Scores The distribution of the ages of the winners of the Tour de France from 1903 to 2020 is approximately bell-shaped. The mean age is 27.9 years, with a standard deviation of 3.4 years. In Exercises 43–48, use the corresponding z-score to determine whether the age is unusual. Explain your reasoning. (Source: Le Tour de France)
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 53m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 12m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample2h 19m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples3h 22m
- 11. Correlation1h 6m
- 12. Regression1h 4m
- 13. Chi-Square Tests & Goodness of Fit1h 20m
- 14. ANOVA1h 0m
6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables
Probabilities & Z-Scores w/ Graphing Calculator
Problem 5.T.8
Textbook Question
The per capita disposable income for residents of a U.S. city in a recent year is normally distributed, with a mean of about $44,000 and a standard deviation of about $2450. Use this information in Exercises 7–10.
Out of 800 residents, about how many would you expect to have a disposable income of between $40,000 and $42,000?

1
Step 1: Identify the key parameters of the normal distribution. The mean (μ) is $44,000, and the standard deviation (σ) is $2,450. The problem asks for the proportion of residents with disposable incomes between $40,000 and $42,000.
Step 2: Convert the income values ($40,000 and $42,000) into z-scores using the formula: , where x is the income value, μ is the mean, and σ is the standard deviation.
Step 3: Look up the z-scores in the standard normal distribution table (or use a calculator) to find the cumulative probabilities corresponding to the z-scores for $40,000 and $42,000.
Step 4: Calculate the proportion of residents with incomes between $40,000 and $42,000 by subtracting the cumulative probability for $40,000 from the cumulative probability for $42,000.
Step 5: Multiply the proportion obtained in Step 4 by the total number of residents (800) to estimate the number of residents with disposable incomes in the specified range.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Normal Distribution
Normal distribution is a probability distribution that is symmetric about the mean, indicating that data near the mean are more frequent in occurrence than data far from the mean. It is characterized by its bell-shaped curve, defined by its mean and standard deviation. In this context, the per capita disposable income follows a normal distribution, which allows us to use statistical methods to estimate probabilities and expectations.
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Z-Scores
A Z-score is a statistical measurement that describes a value's relationship to the mean of a group of values. It is calculated by subtracting the mean from the value and then dividing by the standard deviation. Z-scores are essential for determining how many standard deviations an element is from the mean, which is crucial for finding probabilities in a normal distribution.
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Empirical Rule
The Empirical Rule, also known as the 68-95-99.7 rule, states that for a normal distribution, approximately 68% of the data falls within one standard deviation of the mean, 95% within two standard deviations, and 99.7% within three standard deviations. This rule helps in estimating the proportion of residents with disposable incomes within a specific range, such as between $40,000 and $42,000 in this scenario.
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