Data Analysis with Microsoft Excel: Updated for Office 2007

Chapter 5 Probability Distributions 203

5 Click the Normal Curve checkbox.

6 Click the Output button and send the histogram to a chart sheet

named Batting Average.

7 Click the OK button to start creating the histogram and normal

curve.

Figure 5-16 shows the resulting chart.

Figure 5-16

Distribution
of the
batting
average
data

The distribution of the batting average values appears to follow the su-

perimposed normal curve pretty well (certainly no worse than the sample of

random numbers generated earlier). There is no indication that the batting

averages do not follow the normal distribution. Let’s further check this as-

sumption with a normal probability plot.

To create a normal probability plot of the batting average data:

1 Return to the Baseball Salaries worksheet.

2 Click Single Variable Charts from the StatPlus menu and then click

Normal P-plots.