You ask:
Why learn all these things about
the normal curve? What is the use
of all of this?
The use of all of this is necessary,
I say.
The normal curve (the standard normal curve) is a mathematical, perfect curve,
With magic qualities and powers.
Understanding the normal curve is
necessary, if we wish to
understand statistics from simple
t-tests to complex Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA).
Understanding the concepts in
number 4 above is the basis for
understanding the concepts of all
statistical tests. Also, as we said
before, there is a continuity in the
process of our understanding of
statistics.
It is like a fairy tale. You must
know the full story, starting from
the beginning and step by step
reach the end, in order to make
sense. So keep alert!