ILLUSTRATING THE
T-DISTRIBUTION
T-DISTRIBUTION
It is a probability distribution that is used to estimate
population parameters when the sample size is small (such
as when 𝑛 < 30) and/or when the population variance is
unknown.
It was developed by William Sealy Gosset in 1908.
T-DISTRIBUTION
ഥ−𝝁
𝒙 where 𝑡 = t-score
𝒕= 𝒔 𝑥ҧ = sample mean
𝜇 = population mean
𝒏 𝑠 = sample standard deviation
𝑛 = sample size
Reminder: When sampling from a normally distributed
population, the 𝑡 -distribution has 𝑛 − 1
degrees of freedom.
WHAT DOES THE T-DISTRIBUTION LOOK LIKE?
𝑡-distribution looks like a 𝑧-statistic that has a standard
normal distribution except that you replace the population
standard deviation, 𝜎, by the sample standard deviation, 𝑠.
Take note that in 𝑡 -distribution, we are estimating a
parameter with a statistic, so there is a greater variability.
WHAT DOES THE T-DISTRIBUTION LOOK LIKE?
Both the z-distribution and
t-distributions are symmetric
about 0 and bell-shaped.
But the t-distributions have
heavier tails (more area in the
tails) and lower peaks.
PROPERTIES OF T-DISTRIBUTION
1. The t-distribution is symmetrical about 0.
PROPERTIES OF T-DISTRIBUTION
2. The t-distribution is bell-shaped like the normal distribution
but has heavier tails.
PROPERTIES OF T-DISTRIBUTION
3. As the degrees of freedom increase, the t-distribution curve
looks more and more like the normal distribution.
PROPERTIES OF T-DISTRIBUTION
4. The mean, median, and mode of the t-distribution are all
equal to zero.
5. The variance is always greater than 1.
6. The standard deviation of the t-distribution varies with the
sample size. It is always greater than 1. Unlike the normal
distribution, which has a standard deviation of 1.
7. The total area under a t-distribution curve is 1 or 100%.
ACTIVITY: TRUE OR FALSE
1. The t-distribution is used to estimate population parameters
when the sample size is small and/or the population
variance is unknown.
2. The mean, median and mode are all equal to zero.
3. The variance is equal to 1.
4. The t-distribution curve is bell-shaped.
5. The standard deviation is always greater than 1.
6. Half of the total area under the t-distribution curve is equal
to 1.
ACTIVITY: TRUE OR FALSE
7. The curve is symmetrical about its zero.
8. The shape of the t-distribution curve depends on the
sample mean.
9. The tails of the t-distribution curve approach the horizontal
axis but never touch it.
10. When the degrees of freedom increase, the t-distribution
curve looks more and more like the normal distribution.
IDENTIFYING PERCENTILES
USING T-TABLES
PERCENTILES
A percentile is a value on a t-distribution that is less than the
probability in the given percentage.
EXAMPLES
1. Find the 95th percentile of a t-distribution with 6 degrees of
freedom.
1.943
EXAMPLES
2. Find the 5th percentile of a t-distribution with 6 degrees of
freedom.
-1.943
EXAMPLES
3. What is the area to the right of 2.4 under a t-distribution
with 7 degrees of freedom?
between 0.02 and 0.025
EXAMPLES
4. What is the area to the left of 2.4 under a t-distribution with
7 degrees of freedom?
Area = between 0.98 and 0.975
between 0.02 and 0.025
ACTIVITY
Use the t-table to identify the area under the t-distribution given in
each item. Also a draw their corresponding t-distribution.
1. Area to the right of 1.323 under a t-distribution with df = 21
2. Area to the right of 2.821 under a t-distribution with df = 9
3. Area to the left of -2.179 under a t-distribution with df = 12
4. Area to the left of 0.889 under a t-distribution with df = 8
5. Area to the right of 1.25 under a t-distribution with df = 25
