TABLES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STANDARDIZED LOGNORMAL

DISTRIBUTION
Nick T. Thomopoulos, Stuart Graduate School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology,
565 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60661, Phone: 312-906-6536, Fax: 312-906-6549
Arvid C. Johnson, Graduate School of Business & Information Systems, Dominican University,
7900 W. Division St., River Forest, IL 60305, Phone: 708-524-6465, Fax: 708-524-6939

ABSTRACT
While lognormal distributions have demonstrated great utility in a number of applications related to
decision sciences, practitioners find few if any tables of its cumulative distribution function available
to support their work. This paper describes a standardized form of the lognormal distribution and a
methodology by which tables of its cumulative distribution function can be generated. This paper, then,
provides these reference tables and illustrates their use.
Keywords: Probability Models, Lognormal Distribution

INTRODUCTION
A lognormally-distributed random variable is a random variable whose logarithm is normally-distributed.
Johnson, et. al., note that some practitioners maintain that the lognormal distribution is as fundamental
as the normal distribution and that the lognormal distribution has found applications in fields including
the physical sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and engineering. [5] Aitchison and Brown is the
classic reference on the lognormal distribution, and the compendium edited by Crow and Shimizu
provides a more recent update. [1] [3]
Despite the lognormal distributions utility, practitioners find few if any tables of its cumulative
distribution function available to support their work. Moshman has published selected upper and lower
percentile points (0.5%, 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%) as a function of the shape parameter. [6] Similarly,
Broadbent provides upper and lower 1% and 5% values as a function of the coefficient of variation. [2] It
is the objective of this paper to provide practitioners with more comprehensive tables of the cumulative
distribution function of the lognormal distribution. Additionally, we will illustrate a methodology by
which critical values of a standardized lognormal distribution may be calculated directly.

THE LOGNORMAL DISTRIBUTION

Consider a lognormally-distributed variable x with mean x and standard deviation x denoted LN(y,
y2). The variable y, where
y = ln(x) ,
(1)
is normally-distributed with mean y and standard deviation y and is denoted N(y, y2). The probability
density function f(x) of the lognormal distribution is given by

f ( x) =

1
x y 2

-1-

1 ln x y

2 y

(2)

as noted, for example, in Hines and Montgomery. [4] As can be seen from Figure 1, the distribution is
skewed with a longer tail to the right of the mean.

f(x)

Figure 1 - Probability density function of the lognormal distribution.

Aitchison and Brown note that, when y and y are known for y, the corresponding mean and variance for
x can be found from the following: [1]

x = e

1
2

y + y2

x2 = e

2 y + y2

(3)

(e

y2

(4)

Similarly, using Equation (1), when x and x are known for x, the corresponding mean and variance for y
can be determined from the following:

2 + 2
x
x

x2

y = ln

2
y2 = ln1 + x2

(5)

(6)

Johnson, et. al., note various ways in which the lognormal distribution has been standardized. [5] In this
paper, we study the properties of the standardized lognormal distribution that arises when the mean of
its normal counterpart is zero i.e., y = 0 so that y is N(0, y2). For this case, the mean and variance of x
become
1

x = e2
x2 = e

y2

y2

(e

(7)
y2

(8)

In the event that the mean of y is not equal to zero, the random variable can be transformed into
standardized form y as follows:
y = y y
(9)

-2-

We use this standardized lognormal distribution form to develop tables for the cumulative distribution
function F(x) in the next section.

TABLES OF THE CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION

In this section, we present a methodology by which critical values of the standardized lognormal
distribution may be calculated. We, then, introduce reference tables for use by practitioners.
The critical value associated with th percentile point of the standardized lognormal distribution is
denoted at x and corresponds to the value of the lognormally-distributed random variable x at which the
cumulative distribution function F(x) is equal to .

F ( x ) = P( x x ) =

(10)

Let Z denote the value of the standardized normal variate associated with the th percentile of that
distribution. Then, x can be calculated as follows:

x = e

y + Z y

(11)

In this way, tables of the critical values of the lognormal variable x can be generated for general use.
Such tables are provided in Tables 1, 2, and 3 of this paper. All of the tables are generated for the case in
which the counterpart normal variable y is N(0, y2). The tables are of the form F(x) = P(x x) = ,
where the particular values of are as follows: 0.01(0.01)0.05, 0.05(0.05)0.95, and 0.95(0.01)0.99.
The tables list the values of x for F(x) = , and the tables are arranged by y as follows:
Table 1: y = 0.1(0.1)1.0
Table 2: y = 1.1(0.1)2.0
Table 3: y = 2.1(0.1)3.0
The tables also list the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation cx of the associated
lognormally-distributed random variable x. To use these tables, the lognormal variable needs to be scaled
so that its average is less than or equal to 90, which corresponds to the largest mean value listed on Table
3.
In reviewing the three tables, some comments on the shape of the lognormal variable can be made.
(Recall that x is the lognormal variable, and y is the associated normal variable with mean zero and
standard deviation y.)
In all situations, the median of x (lognormal) occurs at x = 1 so 50% of all observations of x lie between
0 and 1 and 50% above 1. When y is small, x is shaped similarly to a normal distribution. This is seen
in Table 1 when y = 0.10 since the range of x values below x = 1 is almost the same as the range of x
values above 1. Also, the coefficient of variation of x is 0.10, which is much like a normal distribution.
As y increases, the mode, which is given by

mode = e

-3-

y 2y

(12)

y: N( y, y )
2

x: LN( y, y )
2

y
y
x
x
cx

0
0.10
1.005
0.101
0.100

0
0.20
1.020
0.206
0.202

0
0.30
1.046
0.321
0.307

0
0.40
1.083
0.451
0.417

0.792
0.814
0.829
0.839
0.848
0.880
0.902
0.919
0.935
0.949
0.962
0.975
0.988
1.000
1.013
1.026
1.039
1.054
1.070
1.088
1.109
1.137
1.179
1.191
1.207
1.228
1.262

0.628
0.663
0.686
0.705
0.720
0.774
0.813
0.845
0.874
0.900
0.926
0.951
0.975
1.000
1.025
1.052
1.080
1.111
1.144
1.183
1.230
1.292
1.390
1.419
1.457
1.508
1.592

0.498
0.540
0.569
0.591
0.611
0.681
0.733
0.777
0.817
0.854
0.891
0.927
0.963
1.000
1.038
1.079
1.123
1.170
1.224
1.287
1.365
1.469
1.638
1.691
1.758
1.852
2.010

0.394
0.440
0.471
0.496
0.518
0.599
0.661
0.714
0.764
0.811
0.857
0.904
0.951
1.000
1.052
1.107
1.167
1.233
1.310
1.400
1.514
1.670
1.931
2.014
2.122
2.274
2.536

0
0.60
1.197
0.788
0.658

0
0.70
1.278
1.016
0.795

0
0.80
1.377
1.304
0.947

0
0.90
1.499
1.675
1.117

0
1.00
1.649
2.161
1.311

0.196
0.237
0.268
0.294
0.316
0.408
0.484
0.555
0.624
0.693
0.764
0.837
0.916
1.000
1.092
1.194
1.310
1.444
1.603
1.802
2.066
2.452
3.163
3.406
3.731
4.211
5.096

0.156
0.193
0.222
0.246
0.268
0.359
0.436
0.510
0.583
0.657
0.735
0.817
0.904
1.000
1.106
1.225
1.361
1.521
1.715
1.961
2.291
2.788
3.728
4.057
4.502
5.171
6.431

0.123
0.157
0.184
0.207
0.228
0.316
0.393
0.469
0.545
0.624
0.707
0.796
0.893
1.000
1.120
1.256
1.415
1.603
1.835
2.133
2.542
3.169
4.395
4.834
5.434
6.349
8.115

0.098
0.128
0.152
0.174
0.193
0.278
0.355
0.431
0.509
0.592
0.680
0.776
0.882
1.000
1.134
1.288
1.470
1.689
1.963
2.320
2.819
3.602
5.180
5.759
6.559
7.797
10.240

Values of x for F(x ) =

F(x)
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
0.85
0.90
0.95
0.96
0.97
0.98
0.99

0
0.50
1.133
0.604
0.533

0.312
0.358
0.390
0.417
0.439
0.527
0.596
0.657
0.714
0.769
0.825
0.881
0.939
1.000
1.065
1.135
1.212
1.300
1.401
1.523
1.679
1.898
2.276
2.400
2.561
2.792
3.200

0.248
0.292
0.324
0.350
0.373
0.464
0.537
0.604
0.667
0.730
0.794
0.859
0.927
1.000
1.078
1.164
1.260
1.370
1.499
1.657
1.862
2.157
2.683
2.859
3.091
3.429
4.038

Table 1 Critical Values of x for y from 0.1 to 1.0 (y = 0).

y: N( y, y )
2

x: LN( y, y )
2

y
y
x
x
cx

0
1.10
1.831
2.809
1.534

0
1.20
2.054
3.687
1.795

0
1.30
2.328
4.894
2.102

0
1.40
2.664
6.580
2.470

0.077
0.104
0.126
0.146
0.164
0.244
0.320
0.396
0.476
0.562
0.655
0.757
0.871
1.000
1.148
1.321
1.528
1.780
2.100
2.524
3.127
4.095
6.106
6.860
7.916
9.575
12.923

0.061
0.085
0.105
0.122
0.139
0.215
0.288
0.364
0.445
0.533
0.630
0.738
0.860
1.000
1.163
1.355
1.588
1.876
2.247
2.745
3.468
4.655
7.198
8.173
9.554
11.758
16.307

0.049
0.069
0.087
0.103
0.118
0.189
0.260
0.335
0.416
0.506
0.606
0.719
0.849
1.000
1.177
1.390
1.650
1.977
2.403
2.987
3.847
5.291
8.485
9.737
11.531
14.438
20.578

0.039
0.056
0.072
0.086
0.100
0.166
0.234
0.308
0.389
0.480
0.583
0.701
0.839
1.000
1.192
1.426
1.715
2.084
2.571
3.249
4.267
6.014
10.002
11.599
13.917
17.730
25.968

0
1.60
3.597
12.426
3.455

0
1.70
4.242
17.486
4.122

0
1.80
5.053
25.029
4.953

0
1.90
6.080
36.463
5.997

0
2.00
7.389
54.096
7.321

0.019
0.030
0.041
0.051
0.061
0.113
0.172
0.239
0.318
0.410
0.519
0.650
0.808
1.000
1.238
1.538
1.925
2.439
3.148
4.182
5.824
8.834
16.383
19.612
24.467
32.831
52.184

0.015
0.025
0.034
0.043
0.052
0.100
0.155
0.220
0.297
0.389
0.500
0.634
0.798
1.000
1.254
1.578
2.001
2.570
3.367
4.549
6.460
10.042
19.312
23.365
29.530
40.316
65.852

0.012
0.020
0.028
0.036
0.044
0.088
0.140
0.202
0.278
0.369
0.481
0.618
0.788
1.000
1.270
1.618
2.079
2.708
3.602
4.948
7.165
11.415
22.765
27.835
35.641
49.507
83.100

0.010
0.016
0.023
0.030
0.037
0.077
0.126
0.186
0.260
0.350
0.463
0.602
0.778
1.000
1.286
1.660
2.161
2.854
3.853
5.383
7.948
12.976
26.835
33.161
43.016
60.794
104.87

Values of x for F(x ) =

F(x)
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
0.85
0.90
0.95
0.96
0.97
0.98
0.99

0
1.50
3.080
8.974
2.913

0.031
0.046
0.060
0.072
0.085
0.146
0.211
0.283
0.364
0.455
0.561
0.684
0.828
1.000
1.207
1.462
1.782
2.196
2.750
3.534
4.733
6.837
11.790
13.819
16.797
21.772
32.770

0.024
0.037
0.049
0.061
0.072
0.129
0.190
0.260
0.340
0.432
0.540
0.667
0.818
1.000
1.223
1.500
1.852
2.314
2.942
3.844
5.250
7.772
13.898
16.463
20.272
26.736
41.353

Table 2 Critical Values of x for y from 1.1 to 2.0 (y = 0).

-4-

y: N( y, y )
2

x: LN( y, y )
2

y
y
x
x
cx

0
2.10
9.070
81.768
9.015

0
2.20
11.246
125.97
11.201

0
2.30
14.083
197.84
14.048

0
2.40
17.814
316.85
17.786

0.008
0.013
0.019
0.025
0.032
0.068
0.113
0.171
0.243
0.332
0.445
0.587
0.768
1.000
1.302
1.702
2.246
3.008
4.122
5.856
8.815
14.750
31.633
39.506
51.918
74.655
132.33

0.006
0.011
0.016
0.021
0.027
0.060
0.102
0.157
0.227
0.315
0.428
0.573
0.758
1.000
1.318
1.746
2.334
3.170
4.410
6.370
9.778
16.767
37.288
47.064
62.661
91.675
166.99

0.005
0.009
0.013
0.018
0.023
0.052
0.092
0.144
0.212
0.299
0.412
0.558
0.749
1.000
1.335
1.791
2.426
3.341
4.718
6.929
10.846
19.060
43.955
56.069
75.627
112.58
210.73

0.004
0.007
0.011
0.015
0.019
0.046
0.083
0.133
0.198
0.284
0.397
0.544
0.740
1.000
1.352
1.837
2.521
3.520
5.047
7.538
12.030
21.666
51.813
66.796
91.277
138.24
265.93

0
2.60
29.371
862.14
29.354

0
2.70
38.283
1465.1
38.270

0
2.80
50.400
2539.7
50.391

0
2.90
67.021
4491.3
67.013

0
3.00
90.017
8102.6
90.012

0.002
0.004
0.006
0.009
0.012
0.031
0.061
0.103
0.162
0.243
0.353
0.505
0.712
1.000
1.404
1.982
2.830
4.120
6.179
9.702
16.418
31.823
84.869
112.94
160.47
255.99
534.39

0.001
0.003
0.005
0.007
0.010
0.028
0.055
0.095
0.151
0.230
0.340
0.492
0.703
1.000
1.422
2.033
2.941
4.342
6.610
10.554
18.211
36.174
100.04
134.55
193.68
314.35
674.36

0.001
0.003
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.024
0.050
0.087
0.141
0.219
0.327
0.480
0.695
1.000
1.440
2.085
3.057
4.576
7.071
11.481
20.199
41.120
117.93
160.29
233.76
386.01
850.98

0.001
0.002
0.004
0.005
0.007
0.021
0.045
0.080
0.132
0.207
0.315
0.468
0.686
1.000
1.458
2.138
3.177
4.822
7.565
12.489
22.405
46.742
139.01
190.96
282.13
474.02
1073.9

Values of x for F(x ) =

F(x)
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
0.85
0.90
0.95
0.96
0.97
0.98
0.99

0
2.50
22.760
517.51
22.738

0.003
0.006
0.009
0.013
0.016
0.041
0.075
0.122
0.185
0.270
0.382
0.531
0.730
1.000
1.369
1.884
2.620
3.710
5.399
8.199
13.344
24.628
61.077
79.576
110.16
169.76
335.58

0.002
0.005
0.008
0.011
0.014
0.036
0.068
0.112
0.173
0.256
0.367
0.518
0.721
1.000
1.386
1.932
2.723
3.910
5.776
8.919
14.801
27.995
71.997
94.801
132.96
208.46
423.47

Table 3 Critical Values of x for y from 2.1 to 3.0 (y = 0).

starts to approach zero (since y = 0), and the shape is more skewed to the right. For example, note that,
when y =1.00, cx = 1.31 which indicates that the distribution is highly skewed to the right i.e., while
50% of the observations range between 0 to 1, 50% range from 1 to 10 or higher. In all situations, the
probability density of x starts out small, increases to a peak at the mode (x < 1), and then spreads out to
the right to large numbers indeed. Recall that the probability density of the exponential distribution (cx =
1) is large at x = 0 and continually drops as x increases. For a lognormally-distributed random variable x
with y = 0.8, cx = 0.95 which is similar to an exponential except that the probability density of x starts
out small at x = 0, quickly rises to the mode, and then drops for all remaining values of x.

USE OF THE TABLES

Example 1
Consider the lognormal x where it is desired to find the middle 90 percent range of values when y is N(0,
1.42). Table 2 applies, and the entries show x0.05 = 0.10 for F(x) = 0.05 and x0.95 = 10.00 for F(x) = 0.95.
Thus, the 90% range for x is between 0.10 and 10.00. Further, x has a mean of 2.66, a standard deviation
of 6.58, and a coefficient of variation of 2.47.
Example 2
Suppose a sample of size n from a lognormal variable x is observed. For each x, the natural log
transformation is taken as y = ln(x), and y is, thereby, normal. This gives yi (i = 1 to n) that yield
estimates for the mean and variance of y. For convenience, the estimated parameters of y are denoted
as y and y. To apply the tables of this paper, it is necessary to convert the variable y to y where y is
also normal but has a mean of zero. This can be done by utilizing Equation 9.

-5-

y = y y

(13)

So now y = 0 and y = y, and y is normal and consistent with the table entries.
Assume that the sample gives y = 4 and y = 1.4. Then,

y = y y = y 4

(14)

is also normal with a mean of zero and a standard deviation of y=1.4 i.e., y is N(0, 1.42).
The 90 percent middle range on x is obtained in the following way:
1. For y = N(0, 1.42), x0.05 = 0.10 and x0.95 = 10.00, as in Example 1.
2. Rearranging Equation 13, gives y = y + y. Similarly, Equation 1 gives x = ey. These can be
combined as follows:

x = e y ' = e y e

= xe

(15)

3. Applying Equation 15 to the results from step 1, we find:

x 0.05 = x 0.05 e 4 = 0.10 54.59 = 5.46

x 0.95 = x 0.95 e 4 = 10.00 54.59 = 546
Thus, the 90% range for x is between 5.46 and 546. Similarly, the mean of x becomes 54.6.

CONCLUSION
This paper has illustrated a methodology by which critical values of a standardized lognormal
distribution (one in which the counterpart normal distribution has a mean of zero) may be calculated
directly. This methodology was, then, utilized to develop tables of the cumulative distribution function
for use by practitioners. Finally, the use of these tables was illustrated.

REFERENCES
[1] Aitchison, J. & Brown, J. The Lognormal Distribution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 1957.
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