INC3701 Assignment
3 2025 ANSWERS -
Due 23 June 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
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INC3701 Assignment 3 2025 ANSWERS - Due
23 June 2025
Inclusive Education (INC3701)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
INC3701 ASSIGNMENT 3 2025 DUE: 23 JUNE 2025
Question 1 Essay question (25 marks) Discuss the implications of using the
bell curve to define "normality" in society and education. In your discussion,
address the following points: Origins and evolution: Defining "normality":
Educational implications… The bell curve was first made in the 1700s to help
with maths and studying stars. Later, people started using it to decide what
is “normal” in schools and in society. This caused problems because it
doesn’t show how different people really are or what they can do. People
have looked at where the bell curve came from, how it is used to decide
what is normal, and how it affects school and life. Some people don’t agree
with it and suggest better ways to understand how people are different.
Origins and Evolution of the Bell Curve The bell curve, or normal distribution
curve, originated in the 18th century as a tool to study mathematical data
and astronomical measurements. The central point of the
The Seductive Simplicity and Profound Implications of the
Bell Curve in Defining "Normality"
The bell curve, or normal distribution curve, emerged from the realm of 18th-century
mathematics and astronomy as a powerful tool for analyzing data and understanding statistical
probabilities. Its initial utility lay in its ability to describe the distribution of random errors in
measurements, such as the positions of stars. However, its migration from the scientific
laboratory to the social sphere, particularly in defining "normality" in human attributes, has
profoundly shaped societal structures and educational practices, with both perceived benefits and
significant, often detrimental, implications. This essay will explore the origins and evolution of
the bell curve, its application in defining normality, and its far-reaching educational and societal
consequences.
The origins and evolution of the bell curve are rooted in the work of mathematicians like
Abraham de Moivre and Pierre-Simon Laplace, who observed that the distribution of errors in
repeated measurements often converged towards a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve. This
mathematical elegance was later embraced by Carl Friedrich Gauss, who extensively studied and
formalized its properties, leading to its common moniker, the Gaussian distribution. Its initial