Math 103b: Introduction to Probability and Statistics
(Spring 1998)
COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor: Elisabetta Manduchi

Office: Stokes 305

Office Hours: Mon and Wed 12:30-2 pm.

Phone: (610) 896-1207

E-mail: emanduch@haverford.edu

Graders: Kres Neely, email: rneely@haverford.edu
Lauren Smith, email: lsmith@haverford.edu

Course Schedule

Three lectures a week on MWF 10:30-11:30, Stokes 104. Moreover, on most weeks, each student should attend one of three lab sections. These are mandatory and will be held M 2-3, W 2-3, and W 3-4 in Stokes 8.

Course Description

This is an introductory course in probability and statistics. Topics include methods of analyzing data, basic probability theory, and some examples of statistical hypothesis testing. The approach will be informal, presuming nothing beyond high school mathematics. Yet we will attempt to reason carefully at this elementary level, and your mathematical and computational skills may be sharpened somewhat as a consequence. Calculus is not required. It is recommended that students who have had a full year of calculus take Math 203 instead. This course covers basics of probability and statistics. To learn about the full range of statistical techniques practiced in a particular discipline (e.g. economics, psychology, and sociology), you will need to take a course in that discipline.

Textbook

"Statistics", Third Edition, by Freedman, Pisani, and Purves.

Exams

There will be two in-class midterm exams (on Friday February 20 and Friday April 3) and a self-scheduled final exam.

Assignments

There will be homework assignments each week consisting of readings and problems. You should drop your homework by noon on Fridays in the appropriate homework drop box for this course which is situated in one of the bookshelves of Stokes 315 (the Math lounge). Note that LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, except in those cases in which you can exhibit a note from your Dean.
You can discuss the material covered in class and in the homework with classmates, but you are obligated under the Honor Code to write up separately, in your own words, the homework papers that you submit. Under no circumstances should a solution be copied from someone else.
Solutions to the homework and tests will be posted in a notebook on reserve in Stokes Library. Please do not ever remove this notebook from Stokes Library.
Besides the homework, there will be also some projects.

Homepage and Notebook in Stokes Library

All information about this course, as well as all the assignments, will be posted on my homepage on the World Wide Web and also in the Math 103 notebook in Stokes library.
You are required to check these regularly. The first week of class the assignments will be also announced in class, but for the rest of the semester you are supposed to get them from either the WWW or the notebook. This will save lecture time and paper. The assignments will be usually posted on Friday afternoons.

Computer Use

During the first labs, you will be introduced to Jump In, a statistical software which will be used for some of the assignments.

Grading

Every grade you will receive in this course will be one of: 4.0, 3.7, 3.3, 3.0, 2.7, 2.3, 2.0, 1.7, 1.3, 1.0, 0.0. Your semester grade will be computed by weighting your work as follows:

Midterm 1: 25%
Midterm 2; 25%
Final exam: 30%
Homework and projects: 15%
Labs, participation, and everything else: 5%

Important Remarks

1) Before each lecture, you should study the previous one. Put the lecture into your own words, clear up ambiguities with study partners, ask lots of questions of each other, try the homework problems.

2) Besides the problems assigned as homework, you should attempt as many problems as possible. This is the best way to master the material.

3) You are encouraged to discuss mathematics with me during my office hours. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. It is very important that you clear up your doubts as soon as you have them. If you have difficulties with the material, come to my office hours as soon as possible and I will be glad to help you.

4) Also you are encouraged to use the Math Question Center. This runs from Sunday to Thursday 7-9 p.m. in Stokes 108 B.

5) Labs are important and are integral part of this course.

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This page maintained by emanduch@haverford.edu. Last updated 2/11/98