Area under the Normal Curve with TI-84 and Excel

Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution

0.914657 =NORMSDIST(1.37)
“Find the area under the normal
curve to the left of .”
2ND DISTR (on the VARS key) =NORMSDIST(z-score) gives you
Answer: (-) 1 2ND EE (on comma key) 9 9 the area to the left of that z-score.
Area = 0.9147 (calculator’s way to say )
Probability = 0.9147 or 91.47% , comma 1.37 ) Use =[Link](z-score) in
right paren ENTER Excel 2010+
0.085343451
“Find the area under the normal =1-NORMSDIST(1.37)
curve to the right of .”
2ND DISTR (on the VARS key) To get area to the RIGHT of a
Answer: 1.37 , comma certain z-score, tell Excel
Area = 0.0853 1 2ND EE (on comma key) 9 9 to subtract 1 minus the
Probability = 0.0853 or 8.53% (calculator’s way to say ) area to the left of that z-score.
) right paren ENTER
0.259002912
“Find the area under the normal =NORMSDIST(1.85)-
curve between and NORMSDIST(0.55)
.”
To get the area between two z-
Answer: Area = 0.2590 scores, tell Excel to subtract
Probability = 0.2590 or 25.90% The area to the left of the higher
z-score, minus the area to the left
of the lower z-score.

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

 Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution
“Find the total area under the =NORMSDIST(1E99)-NORMSDIST(-
normal curve.” 1E99)
Use the same 1E99 for and the
You should know this very basic same -1E99 for in Excel as
special fact, that the total area you use in the TI-84.
under a probability distribution is
always exactly precisely = 1.
“What is the area under the right =NORMSDIST(1E99)-
half of the normal curve?” and NORMSDIST(0)
“What is the area under the left
half of the normal curve?” =NORMSDIST(0)-NORMSDIST(-
1E99)
You should know these very
special facts about the Normal
Distribution:
The calculator has rounding errors
 it is symmetric,
in the 10th decimal position.
 is in the middle,
The correct answers are both
 half of the area (0.5) is to
exactly precisely
the left
0.5000000000000000000000000.
 and half of the area (0.5)
is to the right.

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

 Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution
“Find the area under the normal =NORMSDIST(-2.02)
curve to the left of .

Answer: Area = 0.0217

Probability = 0.0217 or 2.17%

Area to the left of plus

area to the right of totals the
entire area under the curve,
exactly precisely 1.000000000000.
= 1 – NORMSDIST(-2.02)
“Find the area under the normal Area to the right of a z-score:
curve to the right of .” subtract 1 minus the area to its
left.
Answer: Area = 0.9783
Probability = 0.9783 or 97.83%
=NORMSDIST(-0.38)-
“Find the area under the normal NORMSDIST(-1.38)
curve between and Area between two z-scores:
.” Subtract area to the left of the
larger z-score minus the area to
Answer: Area = 0.2682 the left of the smaller z-score.
Probability = 0.2682 or 26.82%

=NORMSDIST(2.20)-NORMSDIST(-
“Find the area under the normal 1.79)
curve between and
.”

Answer: Area = 0.9494

Probability = 0.9494 or 94.94%

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

 Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution
What z-scores bound the middle 2ND DISTR 3:invNorm(area) =NORMSINV(0.25)
50% of the area? “What z-score has that much area
to the left of it?”
Think and draw:
50% = 0.5000 shaded in middle
1 - 0.5000 = 0.5000 not shaded
Half of that is 0.2500 And by symmetry, the right side
0.2500 in the left tail boundary is at z = positive 0.6745. Check can be done with
0.2500 in the right tail NORMSDIST:
Check:
Answer: =NORMSDIST(0.6745)-
to NORMSDIST(-0.6745)
What z-scores bound the middle Solution: =NORMSINV(0.1600)
68% of the area?

Think and draw: That’s the z-value to use in the

68% = 0.6800 shaded in middle answer. We rounded to ±0.9945.
1 – 0.6800 = 0.3200 not shaded
Half of that is 0.1600 Check:
0.1600 in the left tail
0.1600 in the right tail
This is why the Empirical Rule says
Answer: “In a Normal Distribution, about
Yes, that rounds to 68%.
to 68% of the data lies within 1
standard deviation of the mean.”

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

 Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution
What z-scores bound the middle =NORMSINV(0.0250)
95% of the area?

Think and draw: Rounded to

95% = 0.9500 shaded in middle
1 – 0.9500 = 0.0500 not shaded Check:
Half of that is 0.0250
0.0250 in the left tail
0.0250 in the right tail
This is why the Empirical Rule says
Answer: “In a Normal Distribution, about
to 95% of the data lies within 2
Or to standard deviations of the mean.”
What z-scores bound the middle =NORMSINV(0.0015)
99.7% of the area?

Think and draw: Check:

99.7% = 0.9970
1 – 0.9970 = 0.0030
Half of that is 0.0015
0.0015 in the left tail
0.0015 in the right tail This is why the Empirical Rule says Check Empircal Rule’s rounded
“In a Normal Distribution, about value of :
Answer: 95% of the data lies within 2
to standard deviations of the mean.”
Or to

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

 Example problem The picture TI-84 solution Excel solution
What z-score separates the top =NORMSINV(0.9000)
10% of the data from the bottom
90%?
Check:
Think and draw:
90% = 0.9000 area is to the left.
10% = 0.1000 area is to the right

Answer:
or
What score separates the bottom =NORMSINV(1/3)
third of the data from the top
two-thirds?

Think and draw:

1/3 to the left. You can use the
fraction in TI-84 or in Excel.

Answer:
or

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

TI-84 Production notes
The TI-84 graphs were done as described below. Perhaps the ShadeNorm command should have been used instead. That’s something that
can be investigated another day. ShadeNorm documentation is shown on the next page.

The -axis has the values from

to with tickmarks each unit.

The -axis goes from to

with tickmarks every unit.
The was chosen to leave space
at the bottom of the screen.

For shading,

2ND CALC Lower Limit and Upper Limit were So we clear the screen and press
given and a value was displayed. GRAPH again to get the shaded
As discussed somewhere else, this graph without the inadequate
value is not always accurate ∫ result.
enough because the infinitely long
tails are missed with our choice of
finite Xmin and Xmax values.
Then 2ND DRAW 1:ClrDraw clears
the shading in preparation for
another problem.

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.

TI-84 ShadeNorm command
Example: 2ND DISTR, DRAW submenu, 1:ShadeNorm

ShadeNorm(-1,1)

TI84_and_Excel.docx 7/17/2012 11:55 AM D.R.S.