Bell shaped curves are often referred to as Gaussian distributions. The Gaussian distribution is a continuous probability distribution whose probability density function has a bell-shaped curve. It is also called a normal distribution, because its properties were first studied by Carl Friedrich Gauss. The term "bell curve" is derived from the fact that the curve is shaped like a bell. The term "Gaussian distribution" is used more broadly than "bell curve" to describe any distribution that has the same shape. Other synonyms include "normal curve", "probability density function", and "frequency distribution". Whatever the terminology used, the bell-shaped curve is a fundamental concept in statistics and is the foundation of many statistical techniques.