Overview

This discussion requires that a student posts an example of data that illustrates the empirical rule being used to explore data that is normally distributed.

The empirical rule applies to the normal distribution.

• Approximately 68% of the data in a symmetric mound shaped distribution is within 1 standard deviation of the mean or 1
• Approximately 95% of the data in a symmetric mound shaped distribution is within 2 standard deviations of the mean or 2
• Approximately 99.7% of the data in a symmetric mound shaped distribution is within 3 standard deviations of the mean or 3"

The accuracy of the empirical rule increases the closer the variable approaches the normal distribution.

Instructions

Students will describe an example of the empirical rule. Your example should use an assumed mean and an assumed standard deviation (assumed values that are convenient to use). You are expected to state

1. how these data are distributed so that the empirical rule might be used,
2. the specific values for the three common empirical rule ranges, and
3. the meaning of these three ranges for your assumed data. (See Chapter 6 Powerpoint slide #34 and Chapter 3 Powerpoint slides #49 50.)"