
Calculate the standard error of the mean. From a standard normal distribution table, we find that a 95% confidence level corresponds to a z-score of 1.96. Look up the z-score that corresponds to the desired confidence level. In this case, we want a 95% confidence interval. Here are the steps we would take to calculate the z-score: Determine the desired confidence level. The sample mean is 80, and the standard deviation is 10. Suppose we have a sample of 50 students and want to calculate a 95% confidence interval for their average test score. Let’s walk through an example calculation of the z-score for a confidence interval. Lower bound = sample mean – margin of Upper error bound = sample mean + margin of error. The formulas for the lower and upper bounds are: Where: z = z-score from step 2 SEM = standard error of the mean from step 3 Calculate the lower and upper bounds of the confidence interval.įinally, you can calculate the lower and upper bounds of the confidence interval by subtracting and adding the margin of error to the sample mean, respectively. It is calculated by multiplying the z-score by the SEM. The margin of error (ME) represents the range of values within which the true population parameter will likely fall. Where: σ = sample standard deviation n = sample size Calculate the margin of error It is calculated by dividing the standard deviation by the square root of the sample size. The standard error of the mean represents the standard deviation of the sample means. For example, a 95% confidence level corresponds to a z-score of 1.96 because 95% of the area under the normal distribution curve lies to the left of a z-score of 1.96. This table provides the area under the normal distribution curve to the left of a given z-score. Once you have determined the desired confidence level, you can look up the corresponding z-score in a standard normal distribution table. Look up the z-score that corresponds to the desired confidence level For example, a 95% confidence level means that there is a 95% chance that the true population parameter falls within the confidence interval. The confidence level shows the probability that the true population parameter falls within the confidence interval.

Steps to calculate the z-score for a confidence intervalĬalculating the z-score for a confidence interval involves a few steps, which are outlined below: Determine the desired confidence levelĭetermining the desired confidence level is the first step in calculating the z-score for a confidence interval. A z-score of 0 represents a data point that is exactly at the mean, while a z-score of 1 represents a data point that is one standard deviation above the mean.

A z-score can be positive or negative, depending on whether the data point is above or below the mean. A z-score is a standardized score that measures the length between a data point and the mean in units of standard deviations.
Confidence interval to z score calculator how to#
Before we dive into how to calculate the z-score for a confidence interval, let’s briefly review what a z-score is.
