2.7.4.Features of the Normal distribution

Unit 2 - Probability distributions

2.7.4.Features of the Normal distribution
Normal distribution plays an important role in statistics because of the following reasons:
  • Numerous continuous phenomena or characters such as fish length, weight, body depth etc., are approximately normally distributed.
  • Many of the discrete distributions occurring in practice such as Binomial, Poisson, etc., can be approximated by a Normal distribution.
  • Even when the variable is not normally distributed, it is possible to bring it to approximately normal, by simple transformations such as square root or logarithmic or arc sin, etc.
  • Normal distribution has simple and interesting mathematical properties.
  • Normal distribution provides the basis for statistical inference.
  • Distribution of sample statistics such as sample mean tend to normality for large ā€˜nā€™ and hence they can be studied with the help of Normal distribution.

Last modified: Monday, 12 September 2011, 9:21 AM