All 50 states use the same licensing exam for RNs the NCLEXR

All 50 states use the same licensing exam for RNs: the NCLEX-RN. They all have the same standard for passing, as the exam is computer adapted and graded pass-fail.   Let\'s suppose that the board of examiners that administers the NCLEX-RN found that the mean score on the test was 426 and the standard deviation was 72. If the board wants to set the passing score so that only the best 80% of all applicants pass, what is the passing score? Assume that the scores are normally distributed

Solution

First, we get the z score from the given left tailed area. As          
          
Left tailed area =    0.2      
          
Then, using table or technology,          
          
z =    -0.841621234      
          
As x = u + z * s,          
          
where          
          
u = mean =    426      
z = the critical z score =    -0.841621234      
s = standard deviation =    72      
          
Then          
          
x = critical value =    365.4032712   [ANSWER]