A Manufacturer knows that their items have a normally distributed length, with a mean of 15.1 inches, and standard deviation of 4.4 inches. If one item is chosen at random, what is the probability that it is less than 14.6 inches long? ( Give answer to 4 decimal places)

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### Understanding Normal Distributions: A Practical Example

In this example, we will examine a scenario where a manufacturer knows that the length of their items follows a normal distribution. 

**Scenario Description:**

- **Mean (μ)**: 15.1 inches
- **Standard Deviation (σ)**: 4.4 inches

The manufacturer wants to know the probability that a randomly chosen item is shorter than 14.6 inches. 

**Question:**
If one item is chosen at random, what is the probability that it is less than 14.6 inches long? (Provide your answer to four decimal places).

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Z-Score:**
   To find the probability, we first need to convert the length (14.6 inches) to a Z-score.

   The formula for the Z-score is:

   \[
   Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}
   \]

   Where:
   - \(X\) is the value for which we are finding the Z-score (14.6 inches).
   - \(\mu\) is the mean (15.1 inches).
   - \(\sigma\) is the standard deviation (4.4 inches).

2. **Calculate the Z-Score:**
   \[
   Z = \frac{14.6 - 15.1}{4.4} = \frac{-0.5}{4.4} \approx -0.1136
   \]

3. **Find the Probability:**
   Using a standard normal distribution table or a calculator, we find the probability corresponding to the Z-score of -0.1136. 

   The probability (P) that a Z-score will be less than -0.1136 is approximately 0.4549.

### Conclusion:
Thus, the probability that a randomly chosen item is less than 14.6 inches long is **0.4549**. 

This example illustrates how understanding the properties of the normal distribution allows you to calculate probabilities for different values effectively.
Transcribed Image Text:### Understanding Normal Distributions: A Practical Example In this example, we will examine a scenario where a manufacturer knows that the length of their items follows a normal distribution. **Scenario Description:** - **Mean (μ)**: 15.1 inches - **Standard Deviation (σ)**: 4.4 inches The manufacturer wants to know the probability that a randomly chosen item is shorter than 14.6 inches. **Question:** If one item is chosen at random, what is the probability that it is less than 14.6 inches long? (Provide your answer to four decimal places). ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Identify the Z-Score:** To find the probability, we first need to convert the length (14.6 inches) to a Z-score. The formula for the Z-score is: \[ Z = \frac{X - \mu}{\sigma} \] Where: - \(X\) is the value for which we are finding the Z-score (14.6 inches). - \(\mu\) is the mean (15.1 inches). - \(\sigma\) is the standard deviation (4.4 inches). 2. **Calculate the Z-Score:** \[ Z = \frac{14.6 - 15.1}{4.4} = \frac{-0.5}{4.4} \approx -0.1136 \] 3. **Find the Probability:** Using a standard normal distribution table or a calculator, we find the probability corresponding to the Z-score of -0.1136. The probability (P) that a Z-score will be less than -0.1136 is approximately 0.4549. ### Conclusion: Thus, the probability that a randomly chosen item is less than 14.6 inches long is **0.4549**. This example illustrates how understanding the properties of the normal distribution allows you to calculate probabilities for different values effectively.
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