SYLLABUS
MATH 115 - INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS
(Traditional Format)
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Description of data, binomial and normal distributions, estimation and testing hypotheses for means and proportions. Prerequisites: Two years high school algebra, one year of geometry and a satisfactory placement exam score.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The main objective of MATH 115 is to give the
non-mathematical student an elementary introduction to the practice of
statistics. This course will give insight into how a statistician gathers,
summarizes, and draws conclusions from data. We are surrounded everyday by
numerical information and graphical material. At the end of the course, the
student should be a critical consumer of this information.
TEXT: Moore, David S. The Basic Practice of Statistics, 3rd Edition
CONTENT:
PART I:
EXPLORING DATA
Exploring
Data: Variables and Distributions
|
Chapter 1.
Picturing Distributions with Graphs Chapter 2.
Describing Distributions with Numbers Chapter 3.
Normal Distributions |
You can cover all the graphs and descriptive statistics discussed in Chapters 1 and 2.
It may seem odd to cover normal curves before we talk about probability.Ý At this point, we think of the normal curve as a data distribution.Ý Area under the curve corresponds to proportions of data that fall in different intervals. |
Exploring Data: Relationships
|
Chapter 4.
Scatterplots and Correlation Chapter 5.
Regression Chapter 6.
Two-Way Tables |
Note that we really donít focus on the computation of a correlation and a regression line ñ rather, the interpretation of these quantities is the most important.
Important idea is to use conditional distributions to describe association in a two-way table.Ý Donít have to discuss Simpsonís paradox. |
Ý
PART II: FROM EXPLORATION TO INFERENCE
Producing Data
|
Chapter 7.
Producing Data: Sampling |
Focus mainly on the simple random sample (SRS) and the randomized comparative experiment. |
Probability and Sampling Distributions
|
Chapter 9.
Introducing Probability |
The probability chapter is pretty brief and can be covered quickly. The notion of a sampling distribution is a difficult concept and I would cover carefully. |
Introducing Inference
|
Chapter 13.
Confidence Intervals: The Basics |
These chapters explain the fundamental concepts behind estimation and testing. |
PART III:
INFERENCE ABOUT VARIABLES (OPTIONAL)
|
Quantitative
Response Variable Chapter 18. Inference About Population Proportion |
You may not have time to get to these sections.Ý Here you are applying what was learned in Chapters 14 and 15 to learning about a population mean and a population proportion. |
SUGGESTED TIMETABLE (MOORE) FOR COVERAGE THROUGH CHAPTER 15
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WEEKS |
CHAPTERS |
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1 |
Ch 1 ñ Picturing Distributions with Graphs |
|
2 |
Ch 2 ñ Describing Distributions with Numbers |
|
3 |
Ch 3 ñ The Normal Distribution |
|
4 |
Ch 4 ñ Scatterplots and Correlation |
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5 |
Ch 5 -- Regression |
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6 |
Review and Test 1 |
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7 |
Ch 6 ñ Two-Way Tables |
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8 |
Ch 7 ñ Producing Data:Ý Sampling |
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9 |
Ch 8 ñ Producing Data:Ý Experiments |
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10 |
Ch 9 ñ Introducing Probability |
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11 |
Review and Test 2 |
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12 |
Ch 10 ñ Sampling Distributions |
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13 |
Ch 13 ñ Confidence Intervals:Ý The Basics |
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14 |
Ch 14 ñ Tests of Significance:Ý The Basics |
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15 |
Ch 15 ñ Inference in Practice and Review |
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Final Exams Week |
Test 3 |