Step 1 :We are given that the heights are normally distributed with a mean of 68.1 inches and a standard deviation of 2.0 inches. We are asked to find the probability that a randomly selected participant has a height less than 68 inches and between 68 and 71 inches.
Step 2 :To solve this, we can use the properties of the normal distribution. The probability that a random variable X is less than a certain value x is given by the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the normal distribution, which is denoted by P(X < x).
Step 3 :For part (a), we need to find P(X < 68). Since the heights are normally distributed, we can standardize the value 68 by subtracting the mean and dividing by the standard deviation to get the z-score. Then we can use the CDF of the standard normal distribution to find the probability.
Step 4 :For part (b), we need to find P(68 < X < 71). We can find this by subtracting the CDF value at 68 from the CDF value at 71.
Step 5 :Final Answer: The probability that a study participant selected at random is less than 68 inches tall is approximately \(\boxed{0.4801}\). The probability that the study participant selected at random is between 68 and 71 inches tall is approximately \(\boxed{0.4464}\).