The distribution of weights of items produced by a manufacturing process can be approximated by a normal distribution with a mean of 90 grams and a standard deviation of 1 gram. Using the empirical rule, what percentage of the items will either weigh less than 88 grams or more than 92 grams?

1 Answer
Mar 5, 2015

The empirical rule: 34-13.5-2.53413.52.5

Which means that on each side of the mean muμ 34% is within 1 standard deviation sigmaσ (so 68% is within one sigmaσ).

On each side 13.5% is between sigmaσ and 2sigma2σ

If we add up 95%95% is between mu-2sigmaμ2σ and mu+2sigmaμ+2σ

Since sigma=1g->2sigma=2gσ=1g2σ=2g

Answer: 100%-95%=5%100%95%=5%
2.5% weigh less than 88 g and 2.5% weigh more than 92 g.

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