Math 5 - Introduction to Statistics

SECTION 4644 - ONLINE

INSTRUCTOR: Matthew Hubbard

Descriptive analysis and presentation of either single-variable data or bivariate data, probability, probability distributions, normal probability distributions, sample variability, statistical inferences involving one and two populations, analysis of variance, linear correlation and regression analysis. Statistical computer software will be extensively integrated as a tool in the description and analysis of data.

Elementary Statistics is an introduction to data analysis course that makes use of graphical and numerical techniques to study patterns and departures from patterns. The student studies randomness with emphasis on understanding variation, collects information in the face of uncertainty, checks distributional assumptions, tests hypotheses, uses probability as a tool for anticipating what the distribution of data may look like under a set of assumptions, and uses appropriate statistical models to draw conclusions from data.

The course introduces the student to applications in engineering, business, economics, medicine, education, the sciences, and other related fields. The use of technology (computers or graphing calculators) will be required in certain applications.

Essentials of Statistics (Second Edition) by Mario Triola

Students will also need a spreadsheet program on their computer and know how to use the program well enough to sort sets of data and use the average (AVG) and standard deviation (STD) calculation options;other options will be useful to understand as the course progresses.  Some assignments will be turned in as spreadsheets; my spreadsheet program is able to read:

1) Microsoft Works (*.wks)

2) Microsoft Excel (*.xls) or

3) output saved as text (*.txt)

Works is the first preference, followed by Excel, followed by text.

Please don't send picture files, like .jpg or .bmp extensions, for the assignments that require plotting data; using a mono-spaced font like Courier New should be able to create any of the plots that will be requested.

Students should also have Java installed on their machines.  It is available on the Sun Microsystems website; once it is downloaded, click on the *.exe file to install the program.

The Gavilan Library will offer several orientations to online courses during the first two weeks of the semester. 

If you have never taken an online course, this orientation will provide critical information to help you be successful in this class.  If you are unable to attend an orientation on campus, an online tutorial will be available. 

For more details see the schedule of orientations.

For more details, see the class syllabus.