MATH:141:01        Introduction to Statistics         Spring, 2008
         MATH:141:02
                                   Syllabus


         Instructor:   Kenneth Brakke

         Office:       009 Seibert Hall

         Office phone: 4466

         Email: brakke@susqu.edu


         Office hours: 1:00 - 3:00 daily
           I am usually in my office 8:30-4:30 daily, except for
           my other classes (8:45-9:50 MWF, 11:15-12:20 MWF and 3:00-4:05 MWF).
           You may also make an appointment.

         Text: Introductory Statistics by Neil A. Weiss, 8th edition,
            ISBN  978-0-321-39361-6.

         Purpose: To learn elementary statistics.  The three main
                  parts of statistics are
                  1. Descriptive statistics - summarizing and
                     organizing data; averages, variance, percentiles, etc.
                  2. Probability - predicting the properties of a
                     sample taken randomly from a known population.
                     Probability rules, conditional probability,
                     Bayes' Theorem.
                  3. Statistical inference - inferring the properties
                     of a population from data about a randomly
                     chosen sample.  Sampling, significance, p-values,
                     hypothesis testing, linear regression.

         Grading:  
                    Hour exams                  50%
                    Final exam                  25%
                    Daily homework, quizzes     25%

         Homework: There will be daily homework assignments, to be 
                   handed in at the start of class.  Each assignment
                   will be graded.  Assignments will include
                   exercises using the computer statistics program
                   Minitab or the spreadsheet program Excel. 
                   There will also be short in-class quizzes about
                   every other class.

         General:

         Roll will not be taken, but frequent absences will be noticed.
         You are still subject to the attendence policy in the Student
         Handbook.

         Policy on cheating: Don't.  Studying together to understand the
         material is fine, but the work you hand in is to be your own.
         See the Student Handbook statement on academic honesty.