The phrase refers to the function or application on a specific Texas Instruments graphing calculator used to compute probabilities and related values for the Gaussian, or bell-curve, statistical distribution. This functionality enables users to quickly determine areas under the curve, critical values, and other statistical measures associated with normally distributed data. For instance, one can calculate the probability of a value falling within a certain range, given the distribution’s mean and standard deviation, or find the value corresponding to a specific percentile.
This capability is important because the Gaussian distribution is a fundamental concept in statistics, appearing frequently in many areas of science, engineering, and social sciences. Its incorporation into a widely-used calculator streamlines statistical analysis, making it accessible to students, researchers, and practitioners. Historically, such computations required statistical tables or specialized software; the integrated calculator function offers a more convenient and portable solution.