College

The distribution of SAT scores of all college-bound seniors taking the SAT in 2014 was approximately normal with a mean [tex]\mu = 1497[/tex] and a standard deviation [tex]\sigma = 322[/tex].

A certain test-retake preparation course is designed for students whose SAT scores are in the lower [tex]25\%[/tex] of those who take the test in a given year.

What is the maximum SAT score in 2014 that meets the course requirements?

Answer :

To solve the problem of determining the maximum SAT score in 2014 that meets the test-retake preparation course requirements, we need to find the score that represents the 25th percentile of the SAT score distribution. Here are the steps to reach the solution:

1. Understand the Given Data:
- The distribution of SAT scores is approximately normal.
- Mean SAT score ([tex]$\mu$[/tex]) = 1497
- Standard deviation ([tex]$\sigma$[/tex]) = 322
- We need to determine the SAT score that is at the 25th percentile, i.e., the score below which 25% of the scores fall.

2. Z-Score Calculation:
The 25th percentile in a normal distribution corresponds to a specific z-score, which is a standardized score that tells us how many standard deviations a value is from the mean. This value can be found using statistical tables or tools for the standard normal distribution.

For the 25th percentile, the z-score is:
[tex]\[
z \approx -0.6744897501960817
\][/tex]

3. Convert the Z-Score to an SAT Score:
To find the actual SAT score corresponding to this z-score, we use the following formula:
[tex]\[
\text{SAT score} = \mu + z \cdot \sigma
\][/tex]
Plugging in the values:
[tex]\[
\text{SAT score} = 1497 + (-0.6744897501960817 \cdot 322)
\][/tex]

4. Perform the Calculation:
[tex]\[
\text{SAT score} \approx 1497 - 217.18569956313832
\][/tex]
[tex]\[
\text{SAT score} \approx 1279.8143004368617
\][/tex]

Therefore, the maximum SAT score in 2014 that qualifies for the test-retake preparation course, which targets students in the lower 25%, is approximately 1280.