MATH 211 STATISTICS SYLLABUS - Spring 2010
Instructor Phone Office Email Office Hours
Chase Brady 424-8219 1021C chase.brady@mail.wvu.edu Monday, Wednesday 4:00-5:30 PM
Tuesday to Thursday 1:30-2:00 PM
or by appointment

Course Description: Descriptive and inferential statistics, descriptive measures, probability, random variables, discrete and continuous probability distributions, expected value, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, tests of hypothesis, chi-square test, regression and correlation.

Prerequisite: MATH 022, satisfactory score on placement test or instructor's permission.

Course Objectives: To be able to interpret and apply basic concepts of elementary descriptive statistics.  To know the fundamental probability concepts and be able to apply these concepts (rules) to elementary probability problems. To be able to interpret and apply basic concepts of inferential statistics to elementary (limited scope) problems.

Required Text: Statistics, Informed Decisions Using Data, third edition, Michael Sullivan III,  Chapters 1-10.  New copies purchased in the bookstore are bundled with a MyMathLab access code.  This is to be used for online homework.

Web Page: I maintain a Web Page at http://www.wvup.edu/cbrady where you will find my schedule, this syllabus, assignments, occasional announcements, and most importantly, my solutions to each of the regular exams (posted after they are given, of course). I strongly encourage you to use these to correct your exams as soon as they are posted.

Calculator: At a bare minimum, you need a calculator with a square root key. A calculator with statistical functions is worthwhile. The Texas Instruments TI-83 is particularly well suited for this course, and those who have one will come to appreciate it.

Grading policy: There will be four regular exams, each of which count for 15% of your grade. In addition, there will be a comprehensive final exam worth 25%. Online homework will count for 10%, and lab participation 5%. Final grades will be assigned based on the scale

90% or better A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Below 60% F

  On occasion, I do make mistakes in grading exams. If you suspect that I have done so, by all means bring it to my attention, but do so as soon after the exam as possible. I reserve the right not to change an exam grade if the mistake is brought to my attention more than one week after I have handed it back.

Attendance/Make Up: While I have no formal policy, attendance is important. Math is not a subject well suited to playing `catch up'. You are responsible for the material whether you are in class or not. It is extremely important that you stay with the class. Missing days gets you behind. Regular exams, with a good excuse, can be made up, but you should expect them to be a bit more difficult than the ones given in class.

Cheating: I don't expect it, and usually don't look for it. If I do find it, however, I have no sympathy. At a minimum, anyone caught cheating will receive a zero for the exam, and will be reported to the appropriate authorities.  See WVUP's Student Handbook section on "Code of Student Conduct".

Cell Phones: Kindly turn them off.  A ringing phone brings the whole class to a halt.  

Learning Center Services

The Learning Center is located in room 0404 and services are offered to students free of charge, Monday through Friday. Peer tutoring is open for scheduled and group sessions as well as unscheduled drop-in sessions.  Students can visit the Learning Center's website for more information. http://www.wvup.edu/Learning_Center/ .   
 

Campus Safety

Upon activation of the building fire alarm, all building occupants must exit to a position of a minimum of 100 ft. safely away from the building. If you will require assistance during an emergency evacuation, please contact the instructor so that arrangements can be made in advance. All students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the locations of emergency exits. Information concerning emergency exits is posted by or in each classroom. Students and instructors should also be familiar with the Color Code System and the Emergency Call buttons (College Paging System) that are located in each room on the main campus. Information regarding the system and instructions for each individual emergency can be found in the Safety Plan, accessible only on campus through the college website or by contacting faculty, staff, or administration. Questions regarding safety can be directed to the safety committee through the campus safety website at http://www.wvup.edu/safety/. 

Last Day to Withdraw: April 2.

Disability Statement

Social Justice Statement  

West Virginia University at Parkersburg is committed to social justice.  I  concur with that commitment and expect to maintain a positive learning  environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non- discrimination.  Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex,  age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national  origin.  Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.



Tentative Schedule: The table below lists the sections of the book we will cover along with suggested problems. The problems are intended for practice and discussion.  In addition, online homework assignments will be made for each chapter.  These will be completed using MyMathLab, either in the computer lab or at home.   I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule as need arises.

Material we will cover in this course:
Statistical Literacy 1.1. Introduction to the Practice of Statistics 1.2 Observational Studies versus Designed Experiments
1.3 Simple Random Sampling 1.4 Other Effective Sampling Methods 1.5 Bias in Sampling
1.6 The Design of Experiments 2.1 Organizing Qualitative Data 2.2 Organizing Quantitative Data:The Popular Displays
2.3 Additional Displays of Quantitative Data 2.4 Graphical Misrepresentations of Data 3.1 Measures of Central Tendency
3.2 Measures of Dispersion 3.3 Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion from Grouped Data 3.4 Measures of Position and Outliers
3.5 The Five-Number Summary and Boxplots Exam I
 5.1 Probability Rules
5.2 The Addition Rule and Complements 5.3 Independence and the Multiplication Rule 5.4 Conditional Probability and the General Multiplication Rule
5.5 Counting Techniques 5.6 Putting It Together:Which Method Do I Use? Bayes Rule
Probability Supplement
 Exam II
6.1 Discrete Random Variables
6.2 The Binomial Probability Distribution 6.3 The Poisson Probability Distribution 7.1 Properties of the Normal Distribution
7.2 The Standard Normal Distribution 7.3 Applications of the Normal Distribution 7.4 Assessing Normality
8.1 Distribution of the Sample Mean 8.2 Distribution of the Sample Proportion Exam III
9.1 The Logic in Constructing Confidence Intervals for a Population Mean When the Population Standard Deviation Is Known 9.2 Confidence Intervals for a Population Mean When the Population Standard Deviation Is Unknown 9.3 Confidence Intervals for a Population Proportion
9.4 Confidence Intervals for a Population Standard Deviation 9.5 Putting It Together:Which Procedure Do I Use? 10.1 The Language of Hypothesis Testing
10.2 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Mean–Population Standard Deviation Known 10.3 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Mean–Population Standard Deviation Unknown 10.4 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Proportion
4.1 Scatter Diagrams and Correlation 4.2 Least-Squares Regression 4.3 Diagnostics on the Least-Squares Regression Line
4.4 Contingency Tables and Association 4.5 Nonlinear Regression: Transformations (on CD) Exam IV

The final exam will be in the regular classroom at 4:00-6:00 on Wednesday, May 5.