Math & Physics Introductory Statistics

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MATH 1400 – Probability & Statistics

Course Syllabus

Fall 2010

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Description: An introduction to probability and statistics with applications. Intended for students of business, life sciences, and social sciences.

General Education Goals & Competencies: The following General Education goals and competencies are addressed:

1. To think creatively: Can develop a unique, original approach to solving a problem.

2. To better understand the natural world: Can analyze the natural world and human efforts to achieve progress through involvement with it.

3. To use mathematics to better understand applied situations: Can use tools such as graphs, statistics, logarithms, etc. to analyze relevant data and/or test hypotheses.

Assessment will include homework assignments, laboratory exercises, regular exams, and a cumulative final exam.

Objectives: Each student will (1) develop a fundamental understanding of the various concepts encountered in the study of probability and statistics; (2) understand the development of statistics from descriptive through inferential statistics; (3) perform and evaluate the validity of statistical studies, analyze collected statistical data using a variety of statistical techniques, develop summaries, make decisions, and suggest further action based on the results; and (4) develop a flexible, logical problem solving methodology applicable, not only to this course, but to the greater academic and career challenges ahead.

Scope: This course begins with the collection, organization, summation, and presentation of statistical data. It continues with basic probability and probability distributions. The normal distribution and central limit theorem are explored. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing are investigated using previously covered principles of probability. The last phase of the course introduces correlation and regression analysis, and chi-square and analysis of variance.

Instructor: Dr. Buxton L. Johnson, Sr.

Present lectures that compliment the book and reinforce learning objectives; ensure that all components of the course are coordinated and sequenced according to the syllabus; provide help sessions and additional instruction as requested (only simple examples and problems will normally be worked in class); ensure testing and subsequent grading is equitable and consistent; and guide students in the performance of laboratory experiments and the subsequence preparation of laboratory reports.

Students: You

Study assigned sections prior to class; read and attempt to work through assigned problems prior to deadline; develop and maintain a statistics reference sheet (one side of an 8.5” x 11” paper for each hour exam and both sides of one sheet for the final exam); seek addition help early--use instructor’s office hours or make appointments--use Plus Center tutors; participate in study groups within the guidelines of Kentucky Wesleyan’s rules on plagiarism; visit online tutoring sites; and test yourself before the exam!

Graded Events

Class

Regular homework assignments will be assigned. In addition, three 1-hour exams and a 2-hour cumulative final exam will be administered. These exams will cover class material, homework assignments, and topics from laboratory.

Laboratory

Regular statistical study exercises utilizing Microsoft Excel will be assigned and presented online. Subsequent laboratory reports will be written in Microsoft Word with embedded Excel data tables and graphs, and uploaded to Turnitin.com. Each laboratory report will contain the following sections:

1. Background Statement

· describe why the study was performed.

2. Design and Procedure

· explain how the study was conducted and how the sample data was obtained;

· use a table to show the sample data;

· discuss randomness, internal validity, and external validity of the sample data.

3. Analysis and Results

· briefly discuss how you analyzed the data;

· include required analysis spreadsheets and graphs;

· show any required calculations in Excel;

· document your results.

4. Conclusions

· summarize your conclusions based on your analysis of the sample data;

· discuss methods for solving problems with randomness, internal validity, and external validity encountered in the study.

See a sample report.

Schedule

Class

Ch 1 – The Nature of Probability & Statistics

Ch 2 – Frequency Distributions & Graphs

Ch 3 – Data Description

Exam 1

Ch 4 – Probability & Counting

Ch 5 – Discrete Probability Distributions

Ch 6 – The Normal Distribution

Ch 7 – Confidence Intervals

Exam 2

Ch 8 – Hypothesis Testing

Ch 9 – Testing the Difference Between Two Means

Ch 10 – Correlation and Regression

Exam 3

Ch 11 – Chi-Square & Analysis of Variance

Final Exam

Laboratory

Lab1A – Metropolitan Clinic Nurse-In-Training Study (Descriptive)

Lab1B – Glamour-Girl Makeup User Study (Descriptive)

Lab2A – Global Telecom Fiber Optic Thread Inspection Study (Hypothesis Testing)

Lab2B – New England Art Museum Security Study (Hypothesis Testing)

Lab3A – Kentucky Wesleyan Student ACT Study (Difference Testing)

Lab3B – International Health Organization Polio Vaccine Study (Difference Testing)

Lab4A – Kentucky Wesleyan GPA Predictor Model Study (Correlation/Regression)

Lab4B – Ohio Valley Residential Power Use Study (Correlation/Regression)

Lab5A – TastyOs Cereal Marketing Study (Chi-Square)

Lab5B– City University Drug Administration Medical Study (Chi-Square)

Lab6A – D’Oreal Perfume Advertising Study (ANOVA)

Lab6B – Department of Highways Hi-tech Concrete Study (ANOVA)

Detailed Class/Laboratory Schedule
Class(C) / Lab(L)	Topic	Study/Homework/Laboratory
C1: M 8-30	Introduction, Descriptive and Inferential Statistics, and Variables and Types of Data	Ch 1, Sec 1-2
C2: W 9-1	Data Collection, Sampling, Observational Studies, and Experimental Studies	Ch 1, Sec 3-4
C3: F 9-3	Organizing Data Histograms, Frequency Polygons, and Ogives	Ch 2, Sec 1-2
9-6	Labor Day	Have a good holiday!
C4: W 9-8	Other Types of Graphs Paired Data and Scatter Plots	Ch 2, Sec 3-4 HW#1 (Nature of Prob. & Stats.)
C5: F 9-10	Measures of Central Tendency	Ch 3, Sec 1
C6: M 9-13	Measures of Variation	Ch 3, Sec 2 HW#2 (Freq. Distributions/Graphs)
C7: W 9-15	Measures of Position	Ch 3, Sec 3
C8: F 9-17	Exploratory Data Analysis	Ch 3, Sec 4
L1: F 9-17	Lab1A – Metropolitan Clinic Nurse-In-Training Study	Online Laboratory 1
C9: M 9-20	Sample Spaces and Probability	Ch 4, Sec 1 HW#3 (Data Description)
C10: W 9-22	The Addition Rules of Probability	Ch 4, Sec 2
L2: W 9-22	Lab1B – Glamour-Girl Makeup User Study	Online Laboratory 2
C11: F 9-24	Exam 1 (Ch 1-3)	One hour exam
C12: M 9-27	The Multiplication Rules of Probability	Ch 4, Sec 3
C13: W 9-29	Probability Distributions	Ch 5, Sec 1 HW#4 (Probability and Counting)
C14: F 10-1	Mean, Variance, Standard Deviation, and Expectation	Ch 5, Sec 2
C15: M 10-4	The Standard Normal Distribution	Ch 6, Sec 1 HW#5 (Probability Distributions)
C16: W 10-6	Applications of the Normal Distribution	Ch 6, Sec 2
C17: F 10-8	The Central Limit Theorem	Ch 6, Sec 3
10-11 to 10-12	Fall Break	Have a good break!
C18: W 10-13	Confidence Intervals for the Mean When σ is Known and Sample Size	Ch 7, Sec 1 HW#6 (Normal Distribution)
C19: F 10-15	Confidence Intervals for the Mean When σ is Unknown	Ch 7, Sec 2
C20: M 10-18	Steps in Hypothesis Testing	Ch 8, Sec 1
C21: W 10-20	z Test for a Mean	Ch 8, Sec 2
C22: F 10-22	Exam 2 (Ch 4-6)	One hour exam
C23: M 10-25	No Class
C24: W 10-27	t Test for a Mean	Ch 8, Sec 3
L3: W 10-27	Lab2A – Global Telecom Fiber Optic Thread Inspection Study	Online Laboratory 3
C25: F 10-29	Confidence Intervals and Hypothesis Testing	Ch 8, Sec 6 HW#7 (Confidence Intervals)
C26: M 11-1	Testing the Difference Between Two Means: Using the z Test	Ch 9, Sec 1
L4: M 11-1	Lab2B – New England Art Museum Security Study	Online Laboratory 4
C27: W 11-3	Testing the Difference Between Two Means: Using the z Test	Ch 9, Sec 1 HW#8 (Hypothesis Testing)
C28: F 11-5	Testing the Difference Between Two Means of Independent Samples: Using the t Test	Ch 9, Sec 2
L5: F 11-5	Lab3A – Kentucky Wesleyan Student ACT Study	Online Laboratory 5
C29: M 11-8	Correlation	Ch 10, Sec 1
L6: M 11-8	Lab3B – International Health Organization Polio Vaccine Study	Online Laboratory 6
C30: W 11-10	Regression	Ch 10, Sec 2 HW#9 (Difference Testing)
L7: W 11-10	Lab4A – Kentucky Wesleyan GPA Predictor Model Study Note: It says Lab3A in the videos.	Online Laboratory 7
C31: F 11-12	Coefficient of Determination Standard Error of the Estimate	Ch 10, Sec 3
C32: M 11-15	Chi-Square: Goodness of Fit	Ch 11, Sec 1
L8: M 11-15	Lab4B – Ohio Valley Residential Power Use Study	Online Laboratory 8
C33: W 11-17	Chi-Square: Test for Independence	Ch 11, Sec 2 HW#10 (Correlation/Regression)
L9: W 11-17	Lab5A – TastyOs Cereal Marketing Study Note: It says Lab4A in the videos.	Online Laboratory 9
C34: F 11-19	Chi-Square: Test for Homogeneity	Ch 11, Sec 2
L10: F 11-19	Lab5B – City University Drug Administration Medical Study	Online Laboratory 10
C35: M 11-22	Exam 3 (Ch 7-10)	One hour exam
11-24 to 11-26	Thanksgiving Break	Have a good break!
C36: M 11-29	Analysis of Variance	Ch 11, Sec 3 HW#11 (Chi-Square)
C37: W 12-1	Analysis of Variance	Ch 11, Sec 3
L11: W 12-1	Lab6A – D’Oreal Perfume Advertising Study Note: It says Lab5A in the videos	Online Laboratory 11
C38: F 12-3	Review	HW#12 (Analysis of Variance)
L12: F 12-3	Lab6B – Department of Highways Hi-tech Concrete Study	Online Laboratory 12
F 12-10	Final Exam (Ch 1-11)	8:00 to 10:00 am

ATTENDANCE – Your grade in this course is likely to be strongly influenced by your class attendance. Exam questions are designed to cover very specifically the topics as they are discussed in class. Six absences are allowed without affecting the student's grade. Beyond this, each additional absence will result in a 20-point reduction in the final grade.

MAKEUP EXAMS – Students who are forced to miss an exam due to unavoidable circumstances (illness, death in the family, athletic tournament, etc.) must contact the instructor. The instructor will determine if the absence is to be excused in accordance with Kentucky Wesleyan regulations on excused absences. Students with an excused absence will be allowed to take a makeup exam. No more than one makeup exam will be approved for any student except in unusual and very well documented cases.

EXAM DISCREPANCIES – Students with exam discrepancies should record, specifically, those items they would like considered for re-evaluation and return their exam to the instructor before leaving the classroom. All other students can retain their exams. No consideration will be given to exam discrepancies submitted after the student has left the classroom.

LABORATORY MAKEUP – All missed laboratory exercises must be made up and submitted to receive a grade in the course. Students who are forced to miss a laboratory due to unavoidable circumstances (illness, death in the family, athletic tournament, etc.) must contact the instructor. The instructor will determine if the absence is to be excused in accordance with Kentucky Wesleyan regulations on excused absences. Only students with an excused absence will receive credit for making up the missed laboratory experiment.

LATE WORK – Only one late homework assignment will be accepted for credit. Only one late laboratory report will be accepted for credit.

CHEATING – The first time a student is found cheating, copying, etc., a zero will be given on the compromised work. The second time will result in failure of the course.

Grading Policy

Graded Event

Points

Exams(3)

360

Final Exam

180

Homework Assignments(12)

180

Laboratory Reports(12)

180

Course Total

900

Final Grade Assignments are based on the percentage of course points earned according to the following schedule:

• 90% and above – A
• 80% and above – B
• 70% and above – C
• 60% and above – D
• below 60% – F

Academic Accommodations

Kentucky Wesleyan College is committed to providing access to programs and services for qualified students with disabilities. If you are a student with a disability and require accommodations to participate and complete requirements for this class, notify me immediately and contact Dr. Leah Hoover at the Office of Disability Services (FOB #23 or 270-852-3212) for verification of eligibility and determination of specific accommodations.

Academic Help

Several Kentucky Wesleyan offices can be helpful in aiding students.

• Office of Disability Services, 23 Faculty Office Building, (270) 852-3212
• Darrell Plus Center, Library Learning Center, (270) 852-3298
• Academic Dean’s Office, 105 Barnard-Jones Administration Building, (270) 852-3117