Generating your own normal distribution table

It might sounds incredibly old fashion, but for my the exam for the ACT2121 probability course (to prepare for the exam P of the Society of Actuaries), I will provide a standard normal distribution table. The problem is that it is never the one we’re looking for (sometimes it is the survival function, sometimes it is the cumulative distribution function, sometimes we consider only positive values, etc). Here is the one that will be given for the exam, this Friday.

Now, here is the code to generate it.

I did use the following code to generate the table (in a latex format),

> u=seq(0,3.09,by=0.01)
> p=pnorm(u)
> m=matrix(p,ncol=10,byrow=TRUE

We have here the table that we wish to have in our table,

> options(digits=4)
> m
        [,1]   [,2]   [,3]   [,4]   [,5]   [,6]   [,7]   [,8]   [,9]  [,10]
 [1,] 0.5000 0.5040 0.5080 0.5120 0.5160 0.5199 0.5239 0.5279 0.5319 0.5359
 [2,] 0.5398 0.5438 0.5478 0.5517 0.5557 0.5596 0.5636 0.5675 0.5714 0.5753
 [3,] 0.5793 0.5832 0.5871 0.5910 0.5948 0.5987 0.6026 0.6064 0.6103 0.6141
 [4,] 0.6179 0.6217 0.6255 0.6293 0.6331 0.6368 0.6406 0.6443 0.6480 0.6517
 [5,] 0.6554 0.6591 0.6628 0.6664 0.6700 0.6736 0.6772 0.6808 0.6844 0.6879
 [6,] 0.6915 0.6950 0.6985 0.7019 0.7054 0.7088 0.7123 0.7157 0.7190 0.7224
 [7,] 0.7257 0.7291 0.7324 0.7357 0.7389 0.7422 0.7454 0.7486 0.7517 0.7549
 [8,] 0.7580 0.7611 0.7642 0.7673 0.7704 0.7734 0.7764 0.7794 0.7823 0.7852
 [9,] 0.7881 0.7910 0.7939 0.7967 0.7995 0.8023 0.8051 0.8078 0.8106 0.8133
[10,] 0.8159 0.8186 0.8212 0.8238 0.8264 0.8289 0.8315 0.8340 0.8365 0.8389
[11,] 0.8413 0.8438 0.8461 0.8485 0.8508 0.8531 0.8554 0.8577 0.8599 0.8621
[12,] 0.8643 0.8665 0.8686 0.8708 0.8729 0.8749 0.8770 0.8790 0.8810 0.8830
[13,] 0.8849 0.8869 0.8888 0.8907 0.8925 0.8944 0.8962 0.8980 0.8997 0.9015
[14,] 0.9032 0.9049 0.9066 0.9082 0.9099 0.9115 0.9131 0.9147 0.9162 0.9177
[15,] 0.9192 0.9207 0.9222 0.9236 0.9251 0.9265 0.9279 0.9292 0.9306 0.9319
[16,] 0.9332 0.9345 0.9357 0.9370 0.9382 0.9394 0.9406 0.9418 0.9429 0.9441
[17,] 0.9452 0.9463 0.9474 0.9484 0.9495 0.9505 0.9515 0.9525 0.9535 0.9545
[18,] 0.9554 0.9564 0.9573 0.9582 0.9591 0.9599 0.9608 0.9616 0.9625 0.9633
[19,] 0.9641 0.9649 0.9656 0.9664 0.9671 0.9678 0.9686 0.9693 0.9699 0.9706
[20,] 0.9713 0.9719 0.9726 0.9732 0.9738 0.9744 0.9750 0.9756 0.9761 0.9767
[21,] 0.9772 0.9778 0.9783 0.9788 0.9793 0.9798 0.9803 0.9808 0.9812 0.9817
[22,] 0.9821 0.9826 0.9830 0.9834 0.9838 0.9842 0.9846 0.9850 0.9854 0.9857
[23,] 0.9861 0.9864 0.9868 0.9871 0.9875 0.9878 0.9881 0.9884 0.9887 0.9890
[24,] 0.9893 0.9896 0.9898 0.9901 0.9904 0.9906 0.9909 0.9911 0.9913 0.9916
[25,] 0.9918 0.9920 0.9922 0.9925 0.9927 0.9929 0.9931 0.9932 0.9934 0.9936
[26,] 0.9938 0.9940 0.9941 0.9943 0.9945 0.9946 0.9948 0.9949 0.9951 0.9952
[27,] 0.9953 0.9955 0.9956 0.9957 0.9959 0.9960 0.9961 0.9962 0.9963 0.9964
[28,] 0.9965 0.9966 0.9967 0.9968 0.9969 0.9970 0.9971 0.9972 0.9973 0.9974
[29,] 0.9974 0.9975 0.9976 0.9977 0.9977 0.9978 0.9979 0.9979 0.9980 0.9981
[30,] 0.9981 0.9982 0.9982 0.9983 0.9984 0.9984 0.9985 0.9985 0.9986 0.9986
[31,] 0.9987 0.9987 0.9987 0.9988 0.9988 0.9989 0.9989 0.9989 0.9990 0.9990
> rownames(m)=seq(0,3,b=.1)
> colnames(m)=seq(0,.09,by=.01)

To put it in a nice latex format, we can use

> library(xtable)
> newm=xtable(m,digits=4)
> print.xtable(newm, type="latex", file="nor1.tex")

We now have a simple tex file containing a table.

\begin{table}[ht]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{rrrrrrrrrrr}
  \hline
 & 0 & 0.001 & 0.002 & 0.003 & 0.004 & 0.005 & 0.006 & 0.007 & 0.008 & 0.009 \\ 
  \hline
0 & 0.5000 & 0.5040 & 0.5080 & 0.5120 & 0.5160 & 0.5199 & 0.5239 & 0.5279 & 0.5319 & 0.5359 \\ 
  0.1 & 0.5398 & 0.5438 & 0.5478 & 0.5517 & 0.5557 & 0.5596 & 0.5636 & 0.5675 & 0.5714 & 0.5753 \\ 
  0.2 & 0.5793 & 0.5832 & 0.5871 & 0.5910 & 0.5948 & 0.5987 & 0.6026 & 0.6064 & 0.6103 & 0.6141 \\ 
  0.3 & 0.6179 & 0.6217 & 0.6255 & 0.6293 & 0.6331 & 0.6368 & 0.6406 & 0.6443 & 0.6480 & 0.6517 \\ 
  0.4 & 0.6554 & 0.6591 & 0.6628 & 0.6664 & 0.6700 & 0.6736 & 0.6772 & 0.6808 & 0.6844 & 0.6879 \\ 
  0.5 & 0.6915 & 0.6950 & 0.6985 & 0.7019 & 0.7054 & 0.7088 & 0.7123 & 0.7157 & 0.7190 & 0.7224 \\ 
  0.6 & 0.7257 & 0.7291 & 0.7324 & 0.7357 & 0.7389 & 0.7422 & 0.7454 & 0.7486 & 0.7517 & 0.7549 \\ 
  0.7 & 0.7580 & 0.7611 & 0.7642 & 0.7673 & 0.7704 & 0.7734 & 0.7764 & 0.7794 & 0.7823 & 0.7852 \\ 
  0.8 & 0.7881 & 0.7910 & 0.7939 & 0.7967 & 0.7995 & 0.8023 & 0.8051 & 0.8078 & 0.8106 & 0.8133 \\ 
  0.9 & 0.8159 & 0.8186 & 0.8212 & 0.8238 & 0.8264 & 0.8289 & 0.8315 & 0.8340 & 0.8365 & 0.8389 \\ 
  1 & 0.8413 & 0.8438 & 0.8461 & 0.8485 & 0.8508 & 0.8531 & 0.8554 & 0.8577 & 0.8599 & 0.8621 \\ 
  1.1 & 0.8643 & 0.8665 & 0.8686 & 0.8708 & 0.8729 & 0.8749 & 0.8770 & 0.8790 & 0.8810 & 0.8830 \\ 
  1.2 & 0.8849 & 0.8869 & 0.8888 & 0.8907 & 0.8925 & 0.8944 & 0.8962 & 0.8980 & 0.8997 & 0.9015 \\ 
  1.3 & 0.9032 & 0.9049 & 0.9066 & 0.9082 & 0.9099 & 0.9115 & 0.9131 & 0.9147 & 0.9162 & 0.9177 \\ 
  1.4 & 0.9192 & 0.9207 & 0.9222 & 0.9236 & 0.9251 & 0.9265 & 0.9279 & 0.9292 & 0.9306 & 0.9319 \\ 
  1.5 & 0.9332 & 0.9345 & 0.9357 & 0.9370 & 0.9382 & 0.9394 & 0.9406 & 0.9418 & 0.9429 & 0.9441 \\ 
  1.6 & 0.9452 & 0.9463 & 0.9474 & 0.9484 & 0.9495 & 0.9505 & 0.9515 & 0.9525 & 0.9535 & 0.9545 \\ 
  1.7 & 0.9554 & 0.9564 & 0.9573 & 0.9582 & 0.9591 & 0.9599 & 0.9608 & 0.9616 & 0.9625 & 0.9633 \\ 
  1.8 & 0.9641 & 0.9649 & 0.9656 & 0.9664 & 0.9671 & 0.9678 & 0.9686 & 0.9693 & 0.9699 & 0.9706 \\ 
  1.9 & 0.9713 & 0.9719 & 0.9726 & 0.9732 & 0.9738 & 0.9744 & 0.9750 & 0.9756 & 0.9761 & 0.9767 \\ 
  2 & 0.9772 & 0.9778 & 0.9783 & 0.9788 & 0.9793 & 0.9798 & 0.9803 & 0.9808 & 0.9812 & 0.9817 \\ 
  2.1 & 0.9821 & 0.9826 & 0.9830 & 0.9834 & 0.9838 & 0.9842 & 0.9846 & 0.9850 & 0.9854 & 0.9857 \\ 
  2.2 & 0.9861 & 0.9864 & 0.9868 & 0.9871 & 0.9875 & 0.9878 & 0.9881 & 0.9884 & 0.9887 & 0.9890 \\ 
  2.3 & 0.9893 & 0.9896 & 0.9898 & 0.9901 & 0.9904 & 0.9906 & 0.9909 & 0.9911 & 0.9913 & 0.9916 \\ 
  2.4 & 0.9918 & 0.9920 & 0.9922 & 0.9925 & 0.9927 & 0.9929 & 0.9931 & 0.9932 & 0.9934 & 0.9936 \\ 
  2.5 & 0.9938 & 0.9940 & 0.9941 & 0.9943 & 0.9945 & 0.9946 & 0.9948 & 0.9949 & 0.9951 & 0.9952 \\ 
  2.6 & 0.9953 & 0.9955 & 0.9956 & 0.9957 & 0.9959 & 0.9960 & 0.9961 & 0.9962 & 0.9963 & 0.9964 \\ 
  2.7 & 0.9965 & 0.9966 & 0.9967 & 0.9968 & 0.9969 & 0.9970 & 0.9971 & 0.9972 & 0.9973 & 0.9974 \\ 
  2.8 & 0.9974 & 0.9975 & 0.9976 & 0.9977 & 0.9977 & 0.9978 & 0.9979 & 0.9979 & 0.9980 & 0.9981 \\ 
  2.9 & 0.9981 & 0.9982 & 0.9982 & 0.9983 & 0.9984 & 0.9984 & 0.9985 & 0.9985 & 0.9986 & 0.9986 \\ 
  3 & 0.9987 & 0.9987 & 0.9987 & 0.9988 & 0.9988 & 0.9989 & 0.9989 & 0.9989 & 0.9990 & 0.9990 \\ 
   \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

and the following code to get a graph, illustrating was was actually computed, in the table (see a previous post for more details)

> library("tikzDevice")
> options(tikzMetricPackages = c("\\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}",
+ "\\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}", "\\usetikzlibrary{calc}", "\\usepackage{amssymb}"))
+ tikz("normal-dist.tex", width = 8, height = 4, 
+ standAlone = TRUE,
+ packages = c("\\usepackage{tikz}",
+ "\\usepackage[active,tightpage,psfixbb]{preview}",
+ "\\PreviewEnvironment{pgfpicture}",
+ "\\setlength\\PreviewBorder{0pt}",
+ "\\usepackage{amssymb}"))
> u=seq(-3,3,by=.01)
> plot(u,dnorm(u),type="l",axes=FALSE,xlab="",ylab="",col="white")
> axis(1)
> I=which((u<=1))
> polygon(c(u[I],rev(u[I])),c(dnorm(u)[I],rep(0,length(I))),col="red",border=NA)
> lines(u,dnorm(u),lwd=2,col="blue")
> text(-1.5, dnorm(-1.5)+.17, "$\\textcolor{blue}{X\\sim\\mathcal{N}(0,1)}$", cex = 1.5)
> text(1.75, dnorm(1.75)+.25, 
+ "$\\textcolor{red}{\\mathbb{P}(X\\leq x)=\\displaystyle{
+ \\int_{-\\infty}^x \\varphi(t)dt}}$", cex = 1.5)
> dev.off()

Now we have the graph in another tex file. It is possible to embed the code in a tex file, or to compile the tex file to get a pdf file. I did generate the pdf file.

 Here is the tex file I finally get. It is now extremely simple to get your own normal distribution table. Now, I guess it could be possible to use sweave, or knitr. Once I’ll get a copy of Yihui’s book, I’ll try to use it to generate distribution table for my courses !



Cite this blog post
Arthur Charpentier (2013, October 15). Generating your own normal distribution table. Freakonometrics. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.58079/ouru

6 thoughts on “Generating your own normal distribution table”

  1. Why WE use in seq the numbre 0,3 and 9 IS there any explination for it and are we going to folow thé same steps if WE want to make thé table of student ,Fisher and khideux

  2. This code chunk in an R Markdown file seems to work (stealing Arthur’s table, and putting “asis” in the right place):

    “`{r,results=”asis”}
    u=seq(0,3.09,by=0.01)
    p=pnorm(u)
    m=matrix(p,ncol=10,byrow=TRUE)
    options(digits=4)
    library(xtable)
    newm=xtable(m,digits=4)
    print.xtable(newm, type=”html”)
    “`

    I think I would have done it Arthur’s way, though, handling the .tex file.

  3. I like this!

    It seems to be necessary to make a LaTeX table (or an HTML table) especially, since with knitr or sweave you’ll just get the R output.

    1. No. You can use knitr or sweave. The xtable command generates the latex code. You just have to tell knitr/sweave to use the output ‘as is’ and then it will be interpreted as latex code.

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