MATH 164 (Section 6439, Spring 2008)
Introduction to Probability and Statistics
MTuWTh
10:10–11:00 AM, Humanities Room 6
Prerequisites:
Math 120 (Intermediate Algebra)
Textbook and Materials:
·
Required textbook:
“Fundamentals of Statistics”, 2nd Ed., by Michael Sullivan.
·
A scientific
calculator, preferably with statistics functionalities. A typical model costs less than $15
Course
Contents: When studying a huge
population, it is usually infeasible or prohibitively expensive to conduct an
exhaustive “census”. Statistics provides a collection of methods that enable us
to make “educated guesses” about attributes of a population by analyzing only a
sample of a limited size appropriately selected from the population. Guesses
involve chance and likelihood. The mathematics of probability helps us
understand and quantify such chance and likelihood. This allows us to correctly
interpret the collected data to answer questions of interest about the
population. We will cover Chapters 1–10 and, if time allows, selected portions
of the remaining chapters. Upon completing this course, students should be able
to analyze a wide range of situations for their statistical content, and to
make appropriate inferences and conclusions based on such analyses.
Performance Evaluation and Grading Policy: Grading is based on
the following:
1.
Assignments
(20%): About one per week.
All work is to be completed legibly in pencil on loose-leaf paper. You should
staple—do not fold!—you paper. Clearly print your name. Work of poor quality will not be graded.
Each work turned in shall receive one of the following grades: A+, A, A-, B+,
B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, which are translated into (on a scale of 0–100)
100, 96, 92, 88, 85, 82, 78, 75, 72, 65, 58, 50, 0, respectively. Late work will obtain a grade no better than
B+. Work turned in late by more than
one day will not be accepted.
2.
Tests (65%): Tentatively there shall be 7 tests. They shall take place roughly once every two
weeks before the Spring Break, and less frequently afterwards.
·
Always bring a
calculator to a test/exam.
·
Test time will not be
extended for late arrivals.
·
There will be no
make-up test, except for reasonable extenuating circumstances subject to the
instructor’s discretion. To qualify,
prior arrangement is required, except for emergencies, in which case a written
document should be presented as proof, in addition to timely notification to
the instructor via voice message or email. A missed test gets a zero.
3.
Final Exam
(15%): Final exam date and time
shall be in accordance with the official schedule of classes: Monday, May 19,
10:00—11:40 AM.
Your letter grade is
then determined based on the following scheme:
F: below 50,
D: 50–69, C: 70–79, B: 80–89, A: 90–100
(1) “Incomplete” (“I”) is strictly for students in good
standing who cannot attend classes near the end of the semester due to
an unforeseeable emergency.
(2) If the student intends to drop the course, it is her/his
responsibility to do so officially with the Admissions and Records by the
deadline. Simply stopping coming to
class may result in you receiving a failing grade (“F” or “D”). See the policy
laid out in the section “Attendance” below.
Attendance: The instructor has the right to drop a student after the
student’s absence from six (6) class meetings, but the instructor is not
required to do so. A student intending
to drop the course is responsible for filing necessary paperwork with the
Admissions and Records by the relevant deadline. Do not count on the instructor
to drop you!! If you simply stop coming
to class without dropping yourself officially and the instructor chooses not to
drop you, you may end up getting a failing grade (“F” or “D”).
Classroom Behavior: Common classroom etiquette is expected. This includes:
·
Cellular phones should
be turned off or set to vibrate.
·
Children should not
be brought to class meetings.
·
Food should not be
consumed in the classroom.
·
Students should
refrain from distracting behavior such as holding side conversation during
lectures.
Academic
Honesty Policy: Cheating on a
test/exam, shall result in, for the first offense, a zero for the
test/exam. A second offense shall lead
to an “F” grade for the course.
Examples of cheating include helping someone on a test, copying another
student’s test, using material not allowed on an exam, or sharing a calculator
or scratch paper on an exam. The
instructor may choose to change seating arrangement during a test/exam when
cheating is suspected.
Important Dates (Related to This Course):
·
No meeting: Monday,
January 21 (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday).
·
Last day to drop
without “W”: Monday, February 11
·
No meeting: Monday,
February 18 (Washington’s Birthday)
·
No meeting: Monday,
March 17 to Sunday, March 23 (Spring Recess)
·
Last
day to drop with “W”: Friday, April 4.
Should be Friday, April 25.
·
Final Exam: Monday,
May 19, 10:00—11:40 AM (Note that it begins on the hour!).