Math 380 - Probability Theory
Spring 2012

Instructor: Elizabeth Meckes

Office: Yost 208

Phone: 368-5015

Email: ese3 [at] cwru.edu

Office Hours: M 12:30, W 9:30, Th 11, or by appointment

Textbook: A First Course in Probability, 8e by Sheldon Ross

Topics and rough schedule: We will cover most of chapters 1 through 8, with additional material if time permits. The schedule will be roughly as follows:

Topics Book chapters Weeks

Combinatorial analysis
Axioms of probability
Conditional probability and independence 1,2,3 1-4

Random variables 4,5 5-8

Joint distributions 6 9-10

Expectation 7 11-12

Limit theorems and other topics 8,9 13-14

Topics	Book chapters	Weeks
Combinatorial analysis Axioms of probability Conditional probability and independence	1,2,3	1-4
Random variables	4,5	5-8
Joint distributions	6	9-10
Expectation	7	11-12
Limit theorems and other topics	8,9	13-14

In addition to attending the lectures, you should be reading the text book since there won't be time to discuss all the material in class.

Homework Problems: How much you work on the homework problems is probably the single biggest factor in determining how much you get out of the course. If you are having trouble with the problems, please come ask for help; you will learn much more (and probably get a rather better grade) if you figure out all of the homework problems, possibly with help in office hours, than if you do them alone when you can and skip the ones you can't.

Each lecture has specific homework problems associated to it, as listed in the chart below. I strongly suggest doing the homework the same day as the corresponding lecture, or the next day at the latest (see in particular the figure I passed out on the first day of class titled "The value of rehearsal after a lecture").

The homework is hard on purpose! The way you really learn this stuff is to struggle with it, and to talk about it, with me and your classmates.

You turn in the problems for the past week's lectures (i.e., last Friday, this past Monday, and this past Wednesday) each Friday, in an envelope on my office door by 2 pm. You may discuss the homework with other students, however, you must write up solutions on your own.

Exams: There will be four midterm exams and one final exam. The tentative dates for the midterms are February 13, March 9, April 16, and April 30. The final is scheduled for May 3 at 8:30 am.

Grading: Each of the four midterm exams are worth 12.5% of the course grade, and the final is worth 25%. Homework assignments are worth 25%. Selected homework problems will be graded.

A couple articles worth reading:

Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits appeared in the Times in Fall 2010. It offers some advice about studying based on current pedagogical research.

Teaching and Human Memory, Part 2 from The Chronicle of Higher Education this past December. Its intended audience is professors, but I think it's worth it for students to take a look as well.

Assignments: Please note that the book has separate sections marked "problems" and "theoretical exercises".

Reasoning

Lecture Chapter(s) Problems Theoretical exercises Due date

W 1/18 2 4, 6 2, 3, 4 1/20/2012

F 1/20 2 9, 13 5, 9, 12 1/27/2012

M 1/23 1
2 7, 8, 14
2, extra problem
18 1/27/2012
W 1/25 1 10, 19, 31 13, 14 1/27/2012

F 1/27 1
2 21
15, 26, 27 23 (Hint: you may use the result of T.E. 11)
20 2/3/2012
M 1/30 2 32, 44, 45, 54 extra problem 2/3/2012
W 2/1 3 8, 13, 18 3, 5 2/3/2012
F 2/3 3 22, 27, 37 6, 10 2/10/2012
M 2/6 3 44, 46, 53 11, 15 2/10/2012
W 2/8 3 67, 86 14, 28, 29 2/10/2012
W 2/15 4 4, 5, 6 1, 2 2/17/2012
F 2/17 4 15, 17, 18, 20 4, 6, 9 2/24/2012
M 2/20 4 21, 22, 26 13, 14 2/24/2012
W 2/22 4 53, 57, 65 16, 19 2/24/2012
F 2/24 4 66, 70 20 3/2/2012
M 2/27 4 72, 73, 75 25, 27 3/2/2012
W 2/29 4 78, 79, 85 28, 36 3/2/2012
F 3/2 5 2, 6, 7 2, 3 3/9/2012
M 3/5 5 8, 11, 15, 16 6, 9 3/9/2012
W 3/7 5 18, 21, 29, 31 13, 18, 27 3/9/2012
M 3/19 6 2, 8, 11, 15 1 3/23/2012

W 3/21 6 17, 20, 24 2, 9, 11 3/23/2012

F 3/23
M 3/26 6 25, 26, 28 14, 17 3/30/2012

W 3/28 6 29, 30, 33, 34 18 3/30/2012

F 3/30 6 43, 46, 47 20, 21, extra problem 4/6/2012

M 4/2 6 45, 48, 49 24, 25 4/6/2012

W 4/4 7 2, 5, 9 7,8 4/6/2012

F 4/6 7 12, 14, 19, 25 10, 14 4/13/2012

M 4/9 7 28, 38, 50 17, 26 (discrete only), 27 4/13/2012

W 4/11 7 56, 61, 62 29, 32 4/13/2012

F 4/13 7 45, 46, 48 4/20/2012

W 4/18 8 1, 2, 9 2, 4 4/20/2012

F 4/20 8 problems 5 4/27/2012

M 4/23 8 14, 19, 21 6, 7, 8 4/27/2012

W 4/25 8 11, 15 9 4/27/2012

Lecture	Chapter(s)	Problems	Theoretical exercises	Due date
W 1/18	2	4, 6	2, 3, 4	1/20/2012
F 1/20	2	9, 13	5, 9, 12	1/27/2012
M 1/23	1 2	7, 8, 14	2, extra problem 18	1/27/2012
W 1/25	1	10, 19, 31	13, 14	1/27/2012
F 1/27	1 2	21 15, 26, 27	23 (Hint: you may use the result of T.E. 11) 20	2/3/2012
M 1/30	2	32, 44, 45, 54	extra problem	2/3/2012
W 2/1	3	8, 13, 18	3, 5	2/3/2012
F 2/3	3	22, 27, 37	6, 10	2/10/2012
M 2/6	3	44, 46, 53	11, 15	2/10/2012
W 2/8	3	67, 86	14, 28, 29	2/10/2012
W 2/15	4	4, 5, 6	1, 2	2/17/2012
F 2/17	4	15, 17, 18, 20	4, 6, 9	2/24/2012
M 2/20	4	21, 22, 26	13, 14	2/24/2012
W 2/22	4	53, 57, 65	16, 19	2/24/2012
F 2/24	4	66, 70	20	3/2/2012
M 2/27	4	72, 73, 75	25, 27	3/2/2012
W 2/29	4	78, 79, 85	28, 36	3/2/2012
F 3/2	5	2, 6, 7	2, 3	3/9/2012
M 3/5	5	8, 11, 15, 16	6, 9	3/9/2012
W 3/7	5	18, 21, 29, 31	13, 18, 27	3/9/2012
M 3/19	6	2, 8, 11, 15	1	3/23/2012
W 3/21	6	17, 20, 24	2, 9, 11	3/23/2012
F 3/23 M 3/26	6	25, 26, 28	14, 17	3/30/2012
W 3/28	6	29, 30, 33, 34	18	3/30/2012
F 3/30	6	43, 46, 47	20, 21, extra problem	4/6/2012
M 4/2	6	45, 48, 49	24, 25	4/6/2012
W 4/4	7	2, 5, 9	7,8	4/6/2012
F 4/6	7	12, 14, 19, 25	10, 14	4/13/2012
M 4/9	7	28, 38, 50	17, 26 (discrete only), 27	4/13/2012
W 4/11	7	56, 61, 62	29, 32	4/13/2012
F 4/13	7		45, 46, 48	4/20/2012
W 4/18	8	1, 2, 9	2, 4	4/20/2012
F 4/20	8	problems	5	4/27/2012
M 4/23	8	14, 19, 21	6, 7, 8	4/27/2012
W 4/25	8	11, 15	9	4/27/2012

Math 380 - Probability Theory Spring 2012

Math 380 - Probability Theory
Spring 2012