Schedule

The schedule below is a record of what we have actually done as well as an approximate projection of what we will do. Course materials will be posted here and distributed in class. WeBWorK assignments will be posted as they are assigned. Suggested exercises for each section are odd only (unless otherwise specified). Solutions to odd-numbered problems are available at the back of the book. Challenge problems are marked with an asterisk (*).

• Week 1
  • 1/18: Discuss the syllabus and the basic idea of statistics (sections 1.1,2)
    • Who marries whom?
    • US Census profile of WA
    • Leading causes of death in the US
    • Google trends
  • 1/20: 1.3-5: sampling and random variables, basic visualizations. R projects 1 and 2.
• Week 2
  • 1/23: Transition from statistics to probability (sections 1.6,7 and 2.1-3).
  • 1/25: 2.2,3: more basics of probability. Consider playing the lottery and start a worksheet.
  • 1/27: 2.3: Equally likely outcomes (counting).
• Week 3
  • 1/30: 2.4: Axioms and properties.
  • 2/1: 2.5,6: Conditional probability and independent events. A worksheet on conditional probability and pmfs. WeBWorK HW01 due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 2/3: 2.6 and 3.1,2: Random variables and their distributions.
• Week 4
  • 2/6: 3.4: Special discrete random variables.
  • 2/8: 3.2-4: More on discrete rvs. A summary/worksheet. WeBWorK HW02 due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 2/10: 3.3: Parameters of probability distributions. The Monty Hall problem.
• Week 5
  • 2/13: 3.2-4: More on random variables. Formulas for exam 1.
  • 2/15: 3.3: Variance and standard deviation. WeBWorK HW03 due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 2/17: Exam 1 covering Chapter 2 (all sections) and discrete random variables (Chapter 3 sections 1-4; skip the continuous rv parts of sections 2 and 3). Exam 1 from 2016.
• Week 6
  • 2/20: Presidents' Day Holiday
  • 2/22: 3.2,5 Continuous random variables.
  • 2/24: 3.2-5 Continuous random variables. A worksheet.
• Week 7
  • 2/27: 3.5 Continuous random variables.
  • 3/1: 3.5 and 4.1-3. Chapter 4 will focus on discrete RVs. WeBWorK HW04 due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 3/3: 4.4.2 Means of sample statistics introduced on a worksheet.
• Week 8
  • 3/6: 4.2 Joint and marginal PMFs.
  • 3/8: 4.3-5 Conditional distributions, independence, the regression function, covariance, and correlation.
  • 3/10: 5.4 The central limit theorem. Finish the worksheet from 3.3. WeBWorK HW05 due at 10:00 PM today.
• Spring break
• Week 9
  • 3/20: 5.4 The central limit theorem.
  • 3/22: 5.4 continued. WeBWorK HW06a due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 3/24: Exam 2.
    • The exam 2 formula sheet.
    • A summary/review guide.
    • Old practice problems on random variables.
    • Random! on the basic statistical model. Continue on to the next pages for discussions of the sample mean and the law of large numbers.
    • Dr. Stover's notes on random variables.
    • Dr. Stover's notes on the Central Limit Theorem.
• Week 10
  • 3/27: 6.2 Point estimators. Start a worksheet on estimators.
  • 3/29: 7.1,2 Confidence intervals. Continue the worksheet.
  • 3/31: 7.3 and 9.2 Types of confidence intervals.
• Week 11
  • 4/3: 7.3,4 and 8.1,2 Confidence intervals, Precision, and Hypothesis tests.
  • 4/5: 8.1,2 Hypothesis tests. WeBWorK HW07a due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 4/7: Good Friday Holiday
• Week 12
  • 4/10: Easter Holiday
  • 4/12: 8.1-3 and 9.2. Start a worksheet on confidence intervals and hypothesis tests. Exam 2 make up project due today.
  • 4/14: Continue the worksheet. WeBWorK HW08a due at 10:00 PM today.
• Week 13
  • 4/17: 9.2-5 (More) Two-sample tests and CIs and paired data.
  • 4/19: 8.3,4. R projects 3 (optional) and 4. WeBWorK HW09a due at 10:00 PM today.
  • 4/21: Continue R project 4 and introduce R project 5.
    • Turn in R project 4 today through Gradescope.
    • Guide to summarizing hypothesis tests.
    • Exam 3 runs from 12:00 pm today to 12:00 pm Monday through Gradescope.
• Week 14
  • 4/24: 7.4 Precision in CIs and 9.3 Rank-Sum tests. Quick intro to goodness of fit tests.
  • 4/26: 6.3.3 Linear regression. R project 5 due today through Gradescope.
  • 4/28: 7.3.3 and 8.3.3 CIs and tests about regression parameters.
    • A short guide to interpreting diagnostic plots for linear regression
    • R project 6 due today through Gradescope
• Week 15
  • 5/1: 8.3.4 ANOVA intro. And more regression. R projects 7 and 8 due today through Gradescope.
  • 5/3: 10.2 ANOVA. Start R project 9.
  • 5/5: Wrap up the semester.
    • R project 9 due today through Gradescope.
    • Use you new stats powers wisely: Statistics Done Wrong.
    • In the article Feeling the Future, a Cornell researcher reports statistically significant evidence for precognition. Dr. Bem ran several experiments around the general idea that emotions might travel back in time (or something). Consider experiment 2:
      • 50 subjects were shown mirrored images side by side and asked which they prefer
      • After the subject selects one, the computer randomly selects one
      • If the computer and subject match, then a positive image is flashed
      • If the computer and subject don't match, a negative image is flashed
      • The test is repeated 16 times for each participant
      1. What are the null and alternative hypothesis?
      2. What is the test statistic?
      3. What is the conclusion?
      4. What's the deal?
• FINAL EXAM WEEK
  • Office hours: 4-5 Monday, 3:30-5:00 Tuesday, or by appointment.
  • Final exam: 8:00-10:00 Wednesday
  • See Math 321FLO Spring 2020 for some solutions and extra review material.
  • Take home section due 10:00 PM Friday through Gradescope

Course resources

• Syllabus
• R projects
• WeBWorK
• Gradescope
• Guide to summarizing hypothesis tests

Worksheets

• 1/25: Probability and counting (.tex, solutions)
• 2/1: Conditional probability (.tex, solutions)
• 2/8: Probability summary and discrete distributions (.tex, solutions)
• 2/24: Earthquakes! (.tex, solutions)
• 3/3: Functions of random variables (.tex, solutions)
• 3/27: Estimation (.tex, solutions)
• 4/12: Confidence intervals and hypothesis tests (.tex, solutions)

Suggested problems in the textbook:

Exam 3:

• Chapter 6:
  • 6.2: 5, 7, 9
  • 6.4: 1
• Chapter 7:
  • 7.3: 1, 3, 5, 7*, 9
  • 7.4: 1, 3
  • 7.5: 1, 3
• Chapter 8:
  • 8.2: 1, 3, 5, 11
  • 8.3: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11
  • 8.4: 1, 3, 5
• Chapter 9:
  • 9.2: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
  • 9.4: 3
  • 9.5: 1, 3
  • 9.5: 1, 3, 5

Exam 2:

• Chapter 3:
  • 3.2: 5, 6*, 7*, 9
  • 3.3: 7, 9
  • 3.5: 1-9
• Chapter 4:
  • 4.2: 1, 3, 5
  • 4.3: 1, 3, 7
  • 4.4: 1, 5, 7*
  • 4.5: 1, 5, 9*
• Chapter 5:
  • 5.2: 1, 3
  • 5.3: 1*, 3, 5
  • 5.4: 1*, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13

Exam 1:

• Chapter 1:
  • 1.2: 3, 5
  • 1.3: 1, 3, 7
  • 1.4: 1, 3, 5
  • 1.5: 1, 3, 9
  • 1.6: 1, 3, 9, 11
  • 1.7: 1
• Chapter 2:
  • 2.2: 1-7
  • 2.3: 1, 7-15
  • 2.4: 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, 13
  • 2.5: 1-9
• Chapter 3:
  • 3.2: 1, 2, 3, 4.
  • 3.3: 1, 2, 3, 4.
  • 3.4: 1-9, 13.

Links

• Random!
• Dr. Stover's 321
• Introduction to Probability by Grinstead and Snell
• SticiGui
• Posit cloud (RStudio online)
• Math 321FLO Spring 2020
• Math 321 Fall 2019
• Math 321 Spring 2016
• Math 321 Spring 2011
• Academic Calendar
• Final Exam Schedule
• WolframAlpha
• Desmos

Office hours

• Monday 10:00-11:00
• Tuesday 10:00-11:00
• Wednesday 2:00-3:00 in the MLC (Bollier 218)
• Thursday 10:00-11:00
• Or by appointment

Logan Axon
Department of Mathematics
MSC 2615
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA 99258
Office: Herak 227A
Phone: 509.313.3897
Email: axon@gonzaga.edu

Last updated 5/10/2023