Finding the percentile rank for a given Z-score.

=NORMSDIST(Z)

Example: The width of bolts of fabric is Normally distributed with mean 1953 mm and standard
deviation 26 mm.

What is the probability a random chosen bolt has a width above 1920 mm?

1920  1953
Solution: The Z score for 1920 is Z   1.2692 . In the spreadsheet then, obtain the
26
appropriate percentile rank for this Z-score as follows:

=NORMSDIST(-1.2692)

This gives 0.102185… These probabilities can safely be rounded to the nearest 0.0001. So, the
percentile rank is 0.1022. The probability a bolt has width above this amount is 1 – 0.1022 =
0.8978.

You could (you should!) set the whole thing up in the spreadsheet as follows:

The result looks like this (which can be rounded using the spreadsheet’s rounding buttons):

Keep in mind: The answer

to the question is 0.8978.

0.1022

-3 -2 -1.2692-1 0 1 2 3
Z
Finding the Z-score for a given percentile rank.

=NORMSINV(p)

where p is a probability on the 0 – 1 scale.

Example: What value separates the widest 8% of bolts from the remaining 92%?

Whatever this value is, it has percentile rank of 92 – a probability of 0.92.

In the spreadsheet then, obtain the appropriate Z-score as follows:

=NORMSINV(0.92)

This gives 1.40507. This is the Z-score, and indicates that the value we seek is 1.40507 (times
the) standard deviation above the mean. To get an answer in millimeters (which is how the width
of bolts is measured):

1953 + 1.4050726 = 1999.37 mm.

You could (you should!) set the whole thing up in the spreadsheet as follows:

The result looks like this:

So a width of 1999.4 mm
separates the widest 8% from
the remaining 92%.
0.92

-3 -2 -1 0 1 1.405 2 3
Z