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| Question 425592:  1.	The graduate selection committee wants to select the top 10% of applicants. On a standardized test with a mean of 500 and a standard deviation of 100, what would be the cutoff score for selecting the top 10% of applicants, assuming that the standardized test is normally distributed?
 This is my answer:
 First, the z value had to be calculated. Assuming the number would be positive, the z score would be right tail
 The z score formula is Z= (X-M)/SD
 Z=(90-500)/100
 Z=-410/100=
 Z=-4.10
 A z score of -4.10 gets a p value of <0.01
 Did I calculate this correctly? If not please explain. I was not certain if I should use 90, since the question is looking at the top 10%, or 10 since it relates to 10%. Please, help me calculate this answer.
 
 Answer by stanbon(75887)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! 1. The graduate selection committee wants to select the top 10% of applicants. On a standardized test with a mean of 500 and a standard deviation of 100, what would be the cutoff score for selecting the top 10% of applicants, assuming that the standardized test is normally distributed? This is my answer:
 First, the z value had to be calculated. Assuming the number would be positive, the z score would be right tail
 The z score formula is Z= (X-M)/SD
 Z=(90-500)/100
 Z=-410/100=
 Z=-4.10
 A z score of -4.10 gets a p value of <0.01
 Did I calculate this correctly? If not please explain. I was not certain if I should use 90, since the question is looking at the top 10%, or 10 since it relates to 10%. Please, help me calculate this answer.
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 Yes, you are greatly confused.
 If you want the top 10% find the z-value with a right tail of 10%.
 Using a TI-84 that would be invNorm(0.9) = 1.2816
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 Now, since z = (x-u)/sigma,
 x = zs+u
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 So the score you want is x = 1.2816*100 + 500 = 128.16+500 = 628.16
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 Cheers,
 Stan H.
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