Thursday, 4 March 2010

Today, we covered most of Chapter 5 – we will cover some more examples on Tuesday, 16 March 2010. We listed all the various properties of probabilities – keep in mind that you will need to show that events are disjoint (for addition rule) or independent (for multiplication rule) where necessary.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

1. proportion, percentage, and probability are all equivalent;
2. classicist probability (my term) = classical probability (book’s term);
3. frequentist probability (my term) = empirical probability (book’s term);
4. It is important to carefully consider why you are using a particular rule – this will be helpful when all the probability questions are mixed.

At this point, you should be able to complete the following assignments from Chapter 5:

• Section 5.1 #1-35 odd, 41-47 odd
• Section 5.2 #1-31 odd, 39, 41
• Section 5.4 #1-7 odd, 11-15 odd

On Thursday, 23 March, the next homework assignment is due. You should be able to complete the following:

• Section 5.1 #15-23 odd, 35, 45
• Section 5.2 #1-31 odd, 39, 41
• Section 5.4 #1-7 odd, 11-15 odd

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Test 2 will be on Tuesday, 2 March 2010 and will cover the topics covered from Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Today, we covered most of Chapter 4. The only remaining concept from this chapter is using the least-squares regression line to predict values for the response variable – we’ll discuss this on Thursday. Remember that all calculations are done using the TI83/84:

Section 4.1: How to make a scatterplot

Section 4.2: How to calculate the correlation coefficient, r

Section 4.2: How to find the least squares regression line

The applet that we used in class to compare scatterplots with the Pearson correlation coefficient is located at: http://www.stat.uiuc.edu/~stat100/java/GCApplet/GCAppletFrame.html.

You should be able to complete the following assignments in Chapter 4 (except for predictions which will be covered in the next class):

Section 4.1: #1-9 odd, 11-16, 19-31 odd;

Section 4.2: #9, 17-21;

Section 4.3: #1-11 odd.

Remember, you are required to submit the following only on Tuesday (don’t forget about the assignment listed in previous post!):

Section 4.1: #23, 27;

Section 4.2: #17, 21;

Section 4.3: #5.

Thursday, 18 February 2010

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Test 2 has been moved to Tuesday, 1 March.

Today, we discussed the design of statistical experiments (Section 1.5) and how to improve the design by minimizing bias (random assignment of individuals into the various groups) and by minimizing the effects of lurking variables.

On Tuesday, we will discuss graphing qualitative data (Section 2.1) and scatterplots and least squares regression (Chapter 4).

At this point, you should be able to start working on the following assignments:

Section 1.2 #1-15 odd

Section 1.3 #1-21 odd

Section 1.5 #5, 7, 8, 21

Section 3.4 #1, 3, 5, 15-21 odd

On 1 March, you will submit the following assignment:

Section 1.5 #5, 7, 8, 21

Section 3.4 #7, 9, 11, 17, 19, 21

Chapter 4 and Section 2.1 (to be announced on Tuesday)

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Today, we discussed systematic sampling and stratified sampling (Section 1.3): why these methods are used and why they are not random samples.

We also discussed how to exactly calculate percentage of observations (a.k.a., proportion of observations and area under the curve) for a normal distribution using the TI83/84: http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83norm.htm. Keep in mind, if I ask you to estimate the percentage of observations using the 68-95-99.7 rule (a.k.a., the empirical rule), then you must use that rule and not the calculator to answer the question.

Lastly, we discussed some terms from Section 3.4 and Section 1.5. We will complete Section 1.5 and start Chapter 4 on Thursday.

I returned Test 1 today. Each question was worth 8 points. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. Also, Test 2 will be postponed to a later date (this will be determined on Thursday).

At this point, you should be able to start working on the following assignments:

Section 1.2 #1-15 odd

Section 1.3 #1-21 odd

Section 3.4 #1, 3, 5, 15-21 odd

Thursday, 11 February 2010

I hope everyone is safely enjoying the snowfall.

The quiz on Tuesday will cover the 68-95-99.7 Rule (a.k.a., Empirical Rule).

On Thursday, we discussed an additional example of the 68-95-99.7 Rule (Section 3.2). This rule is very important will be discussed and used several more times during the course.  We also calculated variance and standard deviation of a set of quantitative data (Section 3.2). We also showed how to determine if a particular piece of data is an outlier using both modified boxplot and using the IQR definition of outlier (Section 3.5). Lastly, we started to explain how to find a systematic sample from a population (Section 1.3). Keep in mind that a systematic sample is not a random sample. We will discuss this sampling method and stratified sample on Tuesday (Section 1.3). We will also cover Section 2.2 on Tuesday and start Chapter 4.

For Chapter 4, we will be using the following TI83/84 procedures:

How to make a scatterplot:
http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83scatter.htm
How to calculate the correlation coefficient, r:
http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83corCoeff.htm
How to find the least squares regression line:
http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83lsq.htm

Note: I made changes to the TI83/84 calculator instruction page.

At this point, you should be able to complete the following assignment:

Section 3.2: #33, 35, 39, 41

Thursday, 4 February 2010

Test 1 is on Tuesday, 9 February 2010 and will include all topics from Sections 1.1, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5. Also, you should be able to calculate z-score (Section 3.4) for any data, find a simple random sample (Section 1.2), and determine if a distribution is normally distributed using NRMHST on TI83/84 (http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83normHist.htm).

Today, we covered determining if a distribution is normally distributed, the 68-95-99.7 Rule (i.e., the Empirical Rule) from Section 3.2, and calculating the z-score (Section 3.4). You will need to remember the formulas for the z-score.

At this time, you should be able to complete the following assignments:

Section 1.1 #1-39 odd, 45, 49

Section 1.2 #21b, 25a

Section 1.4 #11-21 odd 23, 29

Section 2.2 #1-13 odd (except relative frequency histograms), 15, 17, 19-31 odd  (except relative frequency histograms)

Section 2.3 #1, 5, 8 – we will not discuss this section in class – you should be able to read the section and answer the questions

Section 3.1 #1-41 odd

Section 3.2 #1-41 odd

Section 3.4 #7 (less relative gestation = smaller z-score), 9 (relatively taller = larger z-score), 11

Section 3.5 #1, 3, 4, 5-11 odd

However, you need only to hand-in the following for HW1:

Section 1.1 #45, 49

Section 1.2 #21b, 25a

Section 1.4 #11-21 odd 23, 29

Section 2.2 #3, 9 (except relative frequency histograms), 31 (except relative frequency histograms)

Section 2.3 #1, 5, 8

Section 3.1 #21, 27, 35, 41

Section 3.2 #11, 13, 25, 33-41 odd

Section 3.4 #7, 9, 11

Section 3.5 #4, 11

HW1 is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, 9 February 2010.

Lastly, I have posted the class “notes” for the first four chapters: http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/math1431notes.htm.

As you prepare for the test, please email me if you have any questions.

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

Test 1 will be on Tuesday, 9 February 2010. This is when HW 1 is due.

Today, we clarified exactly what you should know up to this point in the class - Sections 1.1, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.5. You should be able to complete any assignment from these sections. Also, you should know all concepts from Section 3.2 (except Empirical Rule).

Quiz 1 will be on Thursday, 4 February 2010 and will cover any topic from the above sections (except Empirical Rule).

Today, we discussed several new ideas, including how to use the TI83/84 to construct a stemplot (a.k.a., stem-n-leaf plot) and back-to-back stemplots. The instructions are also located here: http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/ti83stem.htm.

On Thursday, we will cover Section 1.3, and the calculation of standard deviation and the Empirical Rule from Section 3.2, and, possibly, Section 2.1.

Thursday, 21 January 2010

The schedule of topics has been posted at http://stats.jjw3.com/math1431/Sp10math1431HAssigns.htm and has been uploaded to iCollege.

Here is a brief description of the topics we have covered in class:

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

We discussed the purpose of statistics, collection of data through questionnaires, and  types of data (Section 1.1).

Thursday, 14 January 2010

We discussed measures of central tendancy (Section 3.1), measures of spread or dispersion (Section 3.2) and which are measures resistant to outliers and which are not resistant to outliers.

Tuesday, 21 January 2010

We discussed graphing quantitative data. Specifically, how to group data measures into classes of equal size and constructing a histogram from the classes and the number of data in the classes (Section 2.2). Also, we sketched a boxplot, a.k.a., box-n-whiskers plot (Section 3.5) and how the five-number summary corresponds to the various parts of the boxplot. Lastly, we discussed how to describe the graphs: symmetric, skewed right, or skewed left (for both histograms and boxplots); number and location of peaks (histograms only); and possibilities of outliers in the data (histogram – we will see how to exactly determine outliers using boxplots next week).

Keep in mind we have mainly discussed some definitions and procedures. On Tuesday, we will start putting these ideas together and we will discuss why these ideas are important and why they are needed.

The first homework assignment is due on 1 February 2010. For homework, you should be able to complete the following so far:

Section 1.1 #1-37 odd

Section 2.2 #1-13 odd (except relative frequency histograms), 19-31 odd  (except relative frequency histograms)

Section 2.3 #1, 5, 8 – we will not discuss this section in class – you should be able to read the section and answer the questions

Section 3.1 #1-19 odd

Section 3.2 #1-23 odd, 29

Section 3.5 #1, 3, 4, 5-11 odd

Lastly, here are some of the TI83/84 instructions that we have already used in class:

• How to enter data into lists
• How to make a histogram
• How to find 5–number summary, variance and standard deviation
• How to make a boxplot

and some of the TI83/84 instructions that we will use in class next week:

• How to make a stemplot
• How to make a timeplot
• How to make a scatterplot

Announcement for Honors Program

Steven Engel, the Director of Georgia Southern University’s Honors Program will be on campus on Wednesday, 20 January,  to talk to students about their Honors Program and transfer information.  Georgia Southern has a scholarship for students in the GPC Honors Program. He will be available from 12:00-4:00 in JCLRC 4190.  Even if a student is not considering Georgia Southern at this time, this is a great opportunity for our students to learn more about Honors Programs at four-year institutions.

Welcome!

Welcome to Honors Introduction to Statistics! I will post updates and general information about the course in this blog. I hope everyone has a successful semester in all your courses.