STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AT BUFFALO

Department of Mathematics

Request for Course

I. Number and Title of Course

Mathematics 311 - Introductory Probability and Statistics

(This is a revision of the present course MAT 111 having a similar title.)

II. Reasons for Revision of the Present Course MAT 111C.

A. To allow for the use of statistical software for computers in the course. Examples of such software include well?known names such as Minitab, Mystat, SAS, SPSS/PC+ Studentware, and Statview.

B. To update the Bibliography, Texts and Readings in order to reflect the use of statistical software for computers.

C. To parallel introductory statistics courses in other departments which are at the upper?division level, such as BIO 406, ECO 305, PSY 306 and SOC 301.

III. Major Objectives of the Course

A. To acquaint the student with the elementary methods of descriptive statistics for a set of measurements.

B. To present the basic concepts of probability in the finite case so that the idea of sampling from a population can be dealt with more critically.

C. To apply the methods of sampling to simple problems of statistical inference.

D. To lead the student to some understanding of the role of statis

tics when decisions are to be made in the face of uncertainty.

IV. Topical Outline

A. Descriptive statistics

1. Summation notation

2. Populations and samples

3. Parameters and statistics

4. Measures of central location and variation

5. Chebyshev's theorem

6. Z-Scores

7. Frequency distributions and histograms

8. Stem and leaf plots

9. Percentiles, deciles and Quartiles

B. Probability

1. Sample spaces and events

2. Elementary counting formulas

3. Conditional probability

4. Complementary, additive, and multiplicative rules of probability

C. Probability distributions

1. Random variable

2. Discrete and continuous probability distributions

3. Mean and variance of a random variable

4. Binomial distribution

5. Normal distribution

6. Normal approximation to the binomial

D. Inferential Statistics

1. Central limit theorem

2. t-distribution

3. Point estimation

4. Interval estimation of means and proportions

5. Tests of hypotheses concerning means and proportions

6. Estimating the difference between two means or proportions

7. Testing the difference between two means or proportions
 
 

E. Additional Topics (optional)

1. Chi-square distribution

2. Chi-square tests for goodness of fit and independence

3. Analysis of variance

4. Correlation

5. Regression

6. Nonparametric statistics

V. Bibliography, Texts and Readings

Anderson, D.R., Sweeney, D.J. and Williams, T.A., Introduction to Statistics: Concepts and Applications, 2nd ea., St. Paul, MN, West Publishing, 1990.

Berenson, M.L., Levine, D.M. and Rindskopf, D., Applied Statistics: A First Course, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1988.

Blaisdell, E.A., Statistics in Practice, Philadelphia, PA, Saunders College Publishing, 1992.

Bluman, A.G., Elementary Statistics: A Step by Sten Approach, Dubuque, IA, Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1992.

Brase, C.H. and Brase, C.P. Understandable Statistics: Concepts and Methods, 4th ea., Lexington, MA, D C. Heath and Company, 1991.

Devore, J. and Peck, R., Introductorv Statistics, St. Paul, MN, West Publishing, 1990.

Freedman, D., Pisani, R., Purves, R. and Adhikari, A., Statistics, 2nd ea., New York, NY, W.W. Norton & Co., 1991.

Freund, J.E. and Simon, G.A., Statistics: A First Course, 5th ea., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1991.

Freund, J.E. and Simon, G.A., Modern Elementary Statistics, 8th ed., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1992.

Groeneveld, R.A., Introductory Statistical Methods: An Integrated AP~roach usinq Minitab, Boston, MA, PWS?Kent Publishing Co., 1989.

Johnson, R.A. and Bhattacharyya, G.K., Statistics: Principles and Methods, 2nd ed., New York, NY, John Wiley and Sons, 1992.

Johnson, R.R., Elementary Statistics, 6th ea., Boston, MA, PWS?Kent Publishing Co., lg92.

Khazanie, R., Elementary Statistics in a World of Applications, 3rd ed., Glenview, IL, Scott, Foresman and Co., 1990.

Larsen, R.J. and Marx, M.L., Statistics, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1990.

Mason, R.D., Lind, D.A. and Marchal, W.G., Statistics: An Introduction, 3rd ed., San Diego, CA, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. 1991.

McClave, J.T. and Dietrich II, F.H., A First Course in Statistics, 4th ed., New York, NY, Macmillan Pub. Co., 1992.

Mendenhall, W. and Beaver, R., Introduction to Probability and Statistics, 8th ed., Boston, MA, PWS?Kent Publishing Co., 1991.

Moore, D.S. and McCabe, G.P., Introduction to the Practice of Statistics, 2nd ed., New York, NY, W.H. Freeman and Co., 1992.

Ott, L. and Mendenhall W., Understandinq Statistics, 5th ed., Boston, MA, PWS?Kent Publishing Co., 1990.

Rasmussen, S., An Introduction to Statistics with Data Analysis, Pacific Grove, CA, Brooks/Cole Pub. Co., 1992.

Salvia, A.A., Introduction to Statistics, Philadelphia, PA, Saunders College Publishing, 1990.

Sellers, G.R., Vardeman, S.B. and Hackert, A.F., A First Course in Statistics, 3rd ed., New York, NY, Harper Collins College Publishers, 1992.

Triola, M.F., Elementary Statistics, 5th ea., Reading, MA, Addison?Wesley Publishing Co., 1992.

Walpole, R.E., Elementary Statistical Concepts, 2nd ed., New York, NY, Macmillan Pub. Co., 1983.

Weimer, R.C., Statistics, 2nd ed., Dubuque, IA, Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1993.

Weiss, N.A., Elementary Statistics, 2nd ea., Reading, MA, Addison?Wesley Publishing Co., 1993.

Weiss, N.A. and Hassett, M.J., Introductory Statistics, 3rd ed., Reading, MA, Addison?Wesley Publishing Co., 1991.

VI. Presentation and Evaluation

Lectures, class discussions, assigned readings, assigned problems, and oral presentations. Evaluation by written examination and/opr oral examinations.

VII. Prerequisites

Three years of high school mathematics.

VIII. Credit

Three semester hours.

IX. Statement of Approval

This course proposal was examined in accord with recommended procedures and was approved by the Department of Mathematics on

(Date) February 2, 1993 ___________________(Department Chairperson)

X. Catalog Description

MAT 311 - INTRODUCTORY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS

Descriptive statistics; probability and random variables; binomial, normal and t distributions; estimation and tests of hypotheses concerning means, proportions, and differences between means and proportions.

XI. Statement of Qualifications of Faculty who will Teach the Course.

A. A Masters Degree in Mathematics, Mathematics Education, or Statistics is required of faculty teaching this course.

B. All members of the Mathematics Department meet this requirement

XII. Support Services Required

Present support services for this course are adequate.