STA 4321, 80224
Probability and Statistics
Fall, 2009
T Th 3:50 - 5:30, Building 10, Room 1357
Course Title: Probability and Statistics
Instructor: Jim Gleaton
Office No: 14/2717
Phone No: 620-3727
E-mail: jgleaton@unf.edu Web page: www.unf.edu/~jgleaton
Office Hours: Monday, 10:00 – 12:00; Tuesday, 1:30 – 3:30; Wednesday, 10:00 – 12:00, Thursday 1:30 – 3:30
Phone No., Department of Mathematics and Statistics: 620-2653
Prerequisite: Calculus I, II
Text: Mathematical Statistics with Applications, 7th Edition, Wackerly, Mendenhall and Scheaffer.
Calculator: You will need a good calculator, preferably one with good statistical functions (at least means and standard deviations), as well as graphing capability. However, I will not require a specific type of calculator. You are responsible for figuring out the instructions for your particular brand – I can help only with the TI-83 and TI-84.
Course Objectives: This course is an introduction to probability and statistics which stresses the mathematical link between the two subjects. Whether your major is computer science, mathematics, or statistics, it should equip you in these basic ways:
1) understand how probability is used in the simulation of physical and logical systems (specific topics: computation of classical probabilities of equally likely events; conditional probabilities; the parameterization and properties of probability distribution families for discrete and continuous random variables; selecting appropriate probability distribution families for problems);
2) understand the way that the Calculus is used to describe probability (specific topics: computation and use of moment generating functions, calculation and interpretation of density functions and expectations for continuous random variables);
3) understand basic analysis of data, whether collected from simulation results, surveys, or scientific experiments (specific topics: simple descriptive statistics and their relation to population parameters, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests);
4) understand how the analysis of data uses probabilistic reasoning (sampling variability, margins of errors, significance levels).
Tentative List of Topics to be Covered
Chapter 1 – cover all
Chapter 2 – cover all
Chapter 3 – cover 3.1 – 3.5, 3.7 – 3.9; exclude 3.6 and 3.10
Chapter 4 – cover 4.1 – 4.10; exclude 4.11
Chapter 5 – I will summarize some of the most necessary results using handouts rather than use the text.
Chapter 6 – cover 6.1 – 6.3, and 6.5; exclude 6.4, 6.6, 6.7
Chapter 7 – cover 7.1 – 7.3 and 7.5; exclude 7.4
Chapter 8 – cover all
Chapter 10 – cover 10.1 – 10.9; power from 10.10; exclude NP Lemma and 10.11
Course Grading: Homework will be assigned, but will not be graded. However there will be several course quizzes, each being made up of assigned homework problems. These quizzes are closed books and closed notes and scheduled below. The quiz average will be worth 20% of your final grade. There will be two noncomprehensive hour exams during the session. For these tests, you will be permitted to use both sides of one regular sheet of paper for notes. Each of these exams will be worth 25% of your final grade. Make-ups for exams will be given only in extreme circumstances, with a written excuse from a physician, employer, faculty member, university administrator, or other relevant person in authority. Contact me in advance if you think your situation merits a make-up. A comprehensive final exam at the end of semester will be worth 30% of your final grade. You may use both sides of two regular sheets of paper for class notes in the final.
Quizzes (1 - 8) : Sept. 10, 17, 24; Oct. 15, 22, 29; Nov. 19; Dec. 1
Exams: Exam 1 – Oct. 1 (Thursday)
Exam 2 – Nov. 5 (Thursday)
Important Dates:
Labor Day – Sept. 7
Veteran’s Day – Nov. 11
Thanksgiving
Last day to withdraw – Nov. 6
Last day of classes: Friday, Dec. 4
Final Exam: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 3:00 pm – 4:50 pm
Students with
disabilities who seek reasonable accommodations in the classroom or other
aspects of performing their coursework must first register with the UNF
Disability Resource Center (DRC) located in Building 10, Room 1201. DRC
staff members work with students to obtain required documentation of disability
and to identify appropriate accommodations as required by applicable disability
laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). After receiving all
necessary documentation, the DRC staff determines whether a student qualifies
for services with the DRC and if so, the accommodations the student will be
provided. DRC staff then prepares a letter for the student to provide
faculty advising them of approved accommodations. For further information, contact the DRC by
phone (904) 620-2769, email (kwebb@unf.edu),
or visit the DRC website (http://www.unf.edu/dept/disabled-services).