What is the likelihood of a 14-year-old student being taller than 170cm?

In summary, the heights of 14-year-old students in a large school are normally distributed with a mean of $155$ cm for girls and $160$ cm for boys. (a) The probability of a girl being taller than $170$ cm is $0.066$. (b) If $10\%$ of the girls are shorter than $x$ cm, then $x\approx 142.2$. (c) For boys, $q\approx 140.3$ and $r\approx 179.7$. (d) The probability of a randomly selected 14-year-old student being taller than $170$ cm is approximately $0.12$, and (e) the probability that the student
  • #1
karush
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In a large school, the heights of all $14$yr old students are measured

The heights of the girls are normally distributed with a mean $155$cm and a standard deviation of $10$cm

The heights of the boys are normally distributed with a mean $160$cm and a standard deviation of $12$cm

(a) Find the probability that a girl is taller than $170$cm.

$\frac{155-170}{10}=1.5$

so with $\mu=0$ and $\sigma=1$ then $P(x>1.5) =0.0668072$

View attachment 1090

(b) Given that $10\%$ of the girls are shorter than $x$cm, find $x$

from z-table $10\%$ is about $.25$ so $.25=\frac{x-155}{10} x\approx157$

but i don't think this is the answer $143$ looks closer so ?

there is still (c), (d), and (e) but have to do later
 
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  • #2
a) You have the correct z-score, but I would use:

\(\displaystyle z=\frac{x-\mu}{\sigma}=\frac{170-155}{10}=1.5\)

By my table, the area between 0 and 1.5 is 0.4332, hence:

\(\displaystyle P(X>170)=0.5-0.4332=0.0668\)

b) We want to find the z-score associated with an area of 0.4, which is about 1.28, and we attach a negative sign since this is to the left of the mean.

\(\displaystyle x=z\sigma+\mu=-1.28\cdot10+155=142.2\)
 
  • #3
MarkFL said:
b) We want to find the z-score associated with an area of 0.4, which is about 1.28, and we attach a negative sign since this is to the left of the mean.

\(\displaystyle x=z\sigma+\mu=-1.28\cdot10+155=142.2\)

Where does the "area of 0.4" come from?

(c) Given that $90\%$ of the boys have heights between $q$ cm and $r$ cm

where $q$ and r are symmetrical about $160$ cm, and $q<r$

find the value of $q$ and of $r$.

well I did this half of $90\%$ is $45\%$ so $.45$ on Z table is about $1.66$ so
$160-1.66\cdot12\approx140.3=q$
and
$160+1.66\cdot10\approx179.7=r$

View attachment 1092

is this correct?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
karush said:
Where does the "area of 0.4" come from?

We want 90% of the data to be greater than $x$. We know 50% is greater than $\mu$, and so that leaves 40% to be greater than $x$ and less than $\mu$.
 
  • #5
karush said:
(c) Given that $90\%$ of the boys have heights between $q$ cm and $r$ cm

where $q$ and r are symmetrical about $160$ cm, and $q<r$

find the value of $q$ and of $r$.

well I did this half of $90\%$ is $45\%$ so $.45$ on Z table is about $1.66$ so
$160-1.66\cdot12\approx140.3=q$
and
$160+1.66\cdot10\approx179.7=r$

View attachment 1092

is this correct?

According to my table, the $z$-score is closer to 1.645 (using linear extrapolation).

Using numeric integration, I find it is closer to 1.64485.
 
  • #6
MarkFL said:
According to my table, the $z$-score is closer to 1.645 (using linear extrapolation).

Using numeric integration, I find it is closer to 1.64485.

0.44950 from the wiki-z-table gave me 1.64 $160-1.64\cdot12\approx140.3=q$
$160+1.64\cdot12\approx179.7=r$
my prev post should of shown 1.64 not 1.66

still have (d) and (e) but have to come back to post it.
 
  • #7
In the group of 14yr olds students $60$% are girls and $40$% are boys.

The probability that a girl is taller than $170$cm is $0.066$

The probability that a boy is taller than $170$cm is $0.202$

A fourteen-year-old student is selected at random

(d) Calculate the probability that the student is taller than $170$cm

this is probably not conventional method but if there are $600$ girls then $39$ of them are over $170$ cm and if there are $400$ boys then $81$ of them are over $170$ cm so that is
$\frac{120}{1000}\approx .12$

(e) Given that the student is taller than $170$ cm, what is the probability the student is a girl?
$\frac{39}{120}\approx .33$
 

1. What is "Another distribution problem"?

"Another distribution problem" refers to a type of statistical problem in which the goal is to determine the probability of a certain outcome or event occurring within a given distribution. This can involve variables such as the mean, standard deviation, and range of a distribution, and typically involves using mathematical formulas and techniques to solve.

2. What are some common examples of "Another distribution problem"?

Some common examples of "Another distribution problem" include calculating the probability of a certain number of successes in a series of independent events, determining the likelihood of a certain value falling within a specified range in a normal distribution, and predicting the chances of a certain outcome in a binomial distribution.

3. How is "Another distribution problem" different from other statistical problems?

"Another distribution problem" is different from other statistical problems in that it specifically focuses on determining the likelihood of a certain outcome or event occurring within a given distribution. Other statistical problems may involve analyzing relationships between variables, making predictions based on data, or testing hypotheses.

4. What types of data are commonly used in "Another distribution problem"?

Data used in "Another distribution problem" can vary depending on the specific problem being solved, but often involves numerical data such as counts, percentages, or measurements. This data is typically organized into a distribution, such as a normal or binomial distribution, in order to solve the problem at hand.

5. How can "Another distribution problem" be applied in real-life situations?

"Another distribution problem" can be applied in a variety of real-life situations, such as predicting the chances of success in a business venture, determining the likelihood of a certain medical outcome for a patient, or analyzing the probabilities of different outcomes in a game of chance. It can also be used in fields such as finance, engineering, and social sciences to make informed decisions based on data and probabilities.

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