Courses in Statistics (Division 489)


100. Introduction to Statistical Reasoning. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Soc. 210, Poli. Sci. 280, Stat. 402, 311, 405, or 412, or Econ. 404. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/1).
This course is designed to provide an overview of the field of statistics. Course topics include methods of analyzing and summarizing data, statistical reasoning as a means of learning from observations (experimental or sample), and techniques for dealing with uncertainties in drawing conclusions from collected data. Basic fallacies in common statistical analyses and reasoning are discussed and proper methods indicated. Alternative approaches to statistical inference are also discussed. The course emphasis is on presenting basic underlying concepts rather than on covering a wide variety of different methodologies. Course evaluation is based on a combination of a Thursday evening midterm examination, a final examination and teaching fellow input. The course format includes three lectures and a laboratory (1 hour per week). Cost:2 WL:3 (001: Aliaga; 003: Gunderson)

125. Games, Gambling and Coincidences. (3). (Excl). (QR/1).
This course will emphasize problem solving and modeling. To achieve this end, students will work together in class attempting to solve various problems posed by the instructor. Hopefully with a bit of gentle guidance, the students will be able to create models and deduce the basic concepts necessary for solution. Students will be asked to write up solutions and work on a project. Grades will be determined from this work and class participation. Problems from the course will be drawn primarily from Markov chains with a finite state space, dynamic programming, again with a finite state space, and game theory. Possible examples include: gambler's ruin; expected run lengths in coin tossing until a specified string is obtained and chances that one string will occur before another; optimal strategies in sports and gambling; optimal replacement strategies; minimax solutions for finite state two-person zero sum games. Cost:2 WL:3 (Keener)

402. Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Econ. 404 or Stat. 311, 405, or 412. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/1).
In this course students are introduced to the concepts and applications of statistical methods and data analysis. Statistics 402 has no prerequisite and has been elected by students whose mathematics background includes only high school algebra. Examples of applications are drawn from virtually all academic areas and some attention is given to statistical process control methods. The course format includes three lectures and a laboratory (l.5 hours per week). The laboratory section deals with the computational aspects of the course and provides a forum for review of lecture material. For this purpose, students are introduced to the use of a micro-computer package and the Macintosh computer. Course evaluation is based on a combination of three examinations GIVEN WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, a final examination and teaching fellow input. Cost:2 WL:3 (001: Muirhead, 002: Rothman, 004: Gunderson)