Unit 3

Z-Scores, Measuring Performance

Learning Outcome

At the end of the topic you are expected to:

1. Compute z-score using computer applications
2. Interpret z-results

Pretest

Direction: Encircle the letter of your best choice.

1. A test is conducted for Ho: µ=34, with =5. A sample of size 100 is selected.
The standard error of the sampling distribution is:

a. 0.05 b. 0.5 c. 5.0

2. A test is conducted for Ho: µ=20, with =4. A sample of size 36 has x=21.4.
The test statistic is:

a. 0.35 b. 2.10 c. 12.60

3. A test is conducted for Ho:µ=50 vs Ha: µ>50. The test statistic is 2.46. The
p-value is

a. 0.0069 b. 0.0138 c. 0.9931

4. A test is conducted for Ho:µ=9.00 vs Ha: µ<9.000. The test statistic is -1.44.
Correct conclusions are:

a. Reject Ho at both α=0.05 and α=0.10

b. Reject Ho at α=0.05 but do not reject at α=0.10
c. Reject Ho at α=0.10 but do not reject at α=0.05

5. The null hypothesis is

a. Ho: µ<12 b. Ho: µ=12 c. Ho:µ>12

6. The alternative hypothesis is

a. Ha: µ<12 b. Ha: µ≠12 c. Ha:µ>12

7. The standard error of the sampling distribution is

a. 0.0031 b. 0.025 c. 0.02

8. The value of the test statistic is

a. -2.0 b. -0.5 c. 2.0

9. The p-value is
a. 0.0228 b. 0.0456 c. 0.9972

10. The conclusions is

a. Reject Ho at both α=0.05 and α=0.10

b. Reject Ho at α=0.05 but do not reject at α=0.10
c. Reject Ho at α=0.10 but do not reject at α=0.05

11. If a 99% confidence interval is constructed to estimate µ with known , the

correct critical values for z are

a. ±1.96 b. ±2.33 c. ±2.58

12. A sample of size 40 with a sample mean of 8.4 was selected from a
population with  = 1.2. The 95% confidence interval for µ is

1.2
a. 84±1.96 ---
40

1.2
b. 84±1.65 ---
40

1.2
C. 84±1.96 ---
40

13.. A 95% confidence interval for µ of (10.8, 16.4) can be interpreted as

a. 95% of all sample means are between 10.8 and 16.4

b. There is 95% confidence that the sample mean is between 10.8 and 16.4
c. There is 95% confidence that the population mean is between 10.8 and
16.4

14. The standard error of the sampling distribution is

2.5
a. 30

2.5
b.
√30

c. 2.5

15. The critical value for a 90% confidence interval is

a. 1.28
b. 1.65
c. 1.96

16. The confidence interval is

a. (62.91, 64.89)
b. (63.05, 64.55)
c. (63.21, 64.38)
 17. A sample is selected from a population with µ = 18.60 and the 90%
confidence interval is (16.8, 18.2). This means

a. An error was made in computation

b. The wrong confidence level was used
c. Random sampling resulted in a usually low sample mean

18. Researchers want to predict the mean length of fish within 0.5 inches at 95%
level. If  = 1.6, how many fish are needed?

a. 30 b. 35 c. 40

Learning Content

What is a Z-Score?

A z-score gives you an idea of how far is a data point from the mean. But
more technically it’s a measure of how many standard deviations below or above
the population mean a raw score is.

A z-score can be placed on a normal distribution curve. Z-scores range from -

3 standard deviations (which would fall to the far left of the normal distribution curve)
up to +3 standard deviations (which would fall to the far right of the normal
distribution curve). In order to use a z-score, you need to know the mean μ and also
the population standard deviation σ.

Z-scores are a way to compare results to a “normal” population. Results from

tests or surveys have thousands of possible results and units; those results can often
seem meaningless. For example, knowing that someone’s weight is 150 pounds
might be good information, but if you want to compare it to the “average” person’s
weight, looking at a vast table of data can be overwhelming especially if some
weights are recorded in kilograms. A z-score can tell you where that person’s weight
is compared to the average population’s mean weight.

Z Score Formulas

The basic z score formula for a sample is: z = (x – μ) / σ

For example, let’s say you have a test score of 190. The test has a mean (μ) of 150
and a standard deviation (σ) of 25. Assuming a normal distribution, your z score
would be:

z = (x – μ) / σ

= (190 – 150) / 25 = 1.6.

The z score tells you how many standard deviations from the mean your score is. In
this example, your score is 1.6 standard deviations above the mean.
 You may also see the z score formula shown to the left. This is exactly the
same formula as z = x – μ / σ, except that x̄ (the sample mean) is used instead of μ
(the population mean) and s (the sample standard deviation) is used instead of σ (the
population standard deviation). However, the steps for solving it are exactly the
same.

𝑋𝑖 − 𝑋̅
𝑍=
𝑆

Z Score Formula: Standard Error of the Mean

When you have multiple samples and want to describe the standard deviation
of those sample means (the standard error), you would use this z score formula:

z = (x – μ) / (σ / √n)

This z-score will tell you how many standard errors there are between the
sample mean and the population mean.

Example problem:

In general, the mean height of women is 65″ with a standard deviation of 3.5″.
What is the probability of finding a random sample of 50 women with a mean height
of 70″, assuming the heights are normally distributed?

z = (x – μ) / (σ / √n)

= (70 – 65) / (3.5/√50) = 5 / 0.495 = 10.1

The key here is that we’re dealing with a sampling distribution of means, so
we know we have to include the standard error in the formula. We also know that
99% of values fall within 3 standard deviations from the mean in a normal probability
distribution (see 68 95 99.7 rule). Therefore, there’s less than 1% probability that any
sample of women will have a mean height of 70″.

How to Calculate a Z-Score

You can easily calculate a z-score on a TI-83 calculator or in Excel. However, if you
don’t have either, you can calculate it by hand.

Example question:

You take the SAT and score 1100. The mean score for the SAT is 1026 and the
standard deviation is 209. How well did you score on the test compared to
the average test taker?
Step 1: Write your X-value into the z-score equation. For this example, question the
X-value is your SAT score, 1100.

Step 2: Put the mean, μ, into the z-score equation.

Step 3: Write the standard deviation, σ into the z-score equation.

Learning Activity

Let’s put things into action:

Suppose 50 students took the midterm examination with 100 items. With the
50 students, the following scores were identified:

21, 28, 54, 16, 23, 68, 79, 81, 75, 70

19, 25, 76, 82, 66, 65, 35, 34, 29, 45
35, 25, 78, 54, 26, 29, 52, 50, 48, 41
09, 52, 56, 89, 87, 74, 76, 72, 63, 66
11, 31, 58, 64, 79, 77, 62, 52, 50, 42

Step 1: Input the data into the work area in the Minitab, so your work area would look
like this:
 Step 2: When all the data are already inputted, point the cursor to Stat Menu
and Choose Display Descriptive Statistics, so you will have the following display:

Step 3: Choose 1 Sample Z, and you will have the following display on the
screen:
 Step 4: Double Click C1 MidExSco so that the data will enter into the
Variable box, and your screen display will be:

Step 5: Choose sigma and enter into the Sigma box. Most of the times,
when a research is on social science which is non-experimental, Sigma is 0.05. Just
simply enter 0.05 into the Sigma box. Next thing to do is enter the test mean that you
wish to compare the scores with, say for example 75 percent of the total number of
items in the test. So for this trial data, you will have 75 as the test mean. After
entering the test mean of 75, your screen display will be like this:
 Step 6, Click OK and you will have the following results:

There you have the result which is -3E+03 which means that the Z-value is
0.00003 with a p-value of 0.000. The actual mean of 51.98 is significantly lower than
the test means of 75.00.
 Assessment
Do the following:

Activity 1 (Show your Solution)

1. 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.

2. Given X = 20, 𝑥̅ = 26 and 𝑠 = 4. Compute the corresponding z-score.

3. Locate the z-value that corresponds to a Mathematics score of 39 given that the µ
= 45 and 𝜎 = 6.

Activity 2
Given the following scores in Algebra.

77, 88, 98, 58, 98, 66, 78, 48, 70, 80,
67, 95, 45, 75, 87, 65, 80, 90, 78, 95,
73, 80, 61, 77, 59, 61, 69, 90, 49, 54,
54, 45, 65, 85, 77, 92, 85, 82, 69, 81,
66, 74, 72, 56, 58, 89, 88, 90, 65, 82

Using Mini Tab, find the z – value, p-value, actual means and Test means. (Make
sure to follow the steps given in the module and attach a screen shot on each step.
Please indicate your name above).

Activity 3
Given the following rice production of 40 farmers in Dapitan City.

80, 87, 85, 90, 95, 80, 100, 105, 98, 92,
75, 80, 75, 78, 83, 82, 97, 98, 90, 85,
100, 98, 85, 84, 75, 87, 79, 76, 86, 80,
95, 90, 87, 88, 91, 93, 92, 91, 87, 88

Using Mini Tab, find the z – value, p-value, actual means and Test means. (Make
sure to follow the steps given in the module and attach a screen shot on each step.
Please indicate your name above).