[Math] Standard Deviation of a Normal Distribution Graph

normal distribution

I am learning about the student t-test.

I am struggling, however, to be given a reasonable explanation why the standard deviation of the standard normal distribution curve is 1.

It says "The Standard Normal Variable is denoted Z and has mean 0 and S.D 1…"

"… this is written as Z ~ N(0,1^2)

Can someone please explain?
Very much appreciate it.

Best Answer

It's hard to be sure what your question means. Suppose $X$ is normally distributed and has expected value $\mu$ and standard deviation $\sigma$. Let $Z = \dfrac {X-\mu} \sigma,$ so that $X = \mu + \sigma Z.$ Then $Z$ has expected value $0$ and standard deviation $1$ and is normally distributed. The one member of this family of distributions that has expected value $0$ and standard deviation $1$ is the one we call the "standard" one.

The distribution of $X$ is $$ \frac 1 {\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{-(1/2)\Big((x-\mu)/\sigma\Big)^2} \, \frac{dx} \sigma. $$ If you let $z= \dfrac{x-\mu}\sigma$, then we have $dz=\dfrac{dx}\sigma$ and the measure becomes $$ \frac 1 {\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{-(1/2) z^2} \, dz. $$ The expected value of that is $$ \int_{-\infty}^\infty z \left( \frac 1{\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{-(1/2)z^2} \, dz \right) $$ and this is clearly $0$ because an odd function is integrated over an interval symmetric about $0$. The variance takes some work. Let's call it $\tau^2:$ $$ \tau^2 = \operatorname{var}(Z) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty z^2 \left( \frac 1{\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{-(1/2)z^2} \, dz \right). $$ We have $$ \operatorname{E}(X) = \operatorname{E}(\mu+\sigma Z) = \mu + \sigma\operatorname{E}(Z) = \mu+\sigma\cdot0 = \mu, $$ and $$ \operatorname{var}(X) = \operatorname{var}(\mu+\sigma Z) = \sigma^2 \operatorname{var}(Z) = \sigma^2\tau^2. $$ If your question is how did we conclude that $\tau^2=1$, say so and maybe I'll post some more on that.

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