Download Required Course Topics, MATH 230 - My SMCC

SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
South Portland, Maine 04106
Title: Statistics
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Andrew Lupien
Contact Hours: 45
Catalog Number: MATH 230
Prerequisite: MATH 140
Email: [email protected]
Course Syllabus − Statistics − MATH 230
Spring Semester, 2012
Course Description
This course is designed for students with little or no experience in statistical analysis. Topics of study
include sampling theory, descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal distribution, confidence
intervals, hypothesis testing, inference, regression, and correlation. Students will develop skills in
collecting, examining, and interpreting data using statistical techniques.
Prerequisite: MATH-140, or equivalent.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
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Identify key issues concerning the validity of surveys.
Understand methods of data collection and sampling theory.
Describe, explore, and compare data sets using descriptive statistics.
Understand probability values.
Determine probability values in a variety of circumstances.
Combine the methods of descriptive statistics and probability to construct both discrete and
continuous probability distributions.
7. Describe characteristics of Binomial, Poisson and Normal Probability Distributions.
8. Follow statistical procedure for testing hypotheses.
9. Determine whether there is a relationship between two variables.
10. Describe such a relationship if it exists with an equation that can be used for predictions.
Course Requirements
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, be on time to class, do the homework assigned
in a timely fashion, and be active participants in the class. Students are expected to be able to send
and receive email messages with attachments and are required to contact their instructor whenever
they are absent.
Homework is assigned to provide an opportunity for you to practice the skills required for the unit. It
is your responsibility to keep up with the scheduled assignments, and to ask questions in class about
topics you do not understand. Answers to odd-numbered items can be found in the back of the text,
and questions concerning even-numbered items will be addressed in class. You should write enough
on your homework paper to make the work meaningful study material.
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Excel is a spreadsheet program used extensively by businesses and other organizations. You will
have Excel Assignments throughout the course. Hopefully, by learning to use the statistical features
of Excel, you will be learning technical skills that should be useful in the working world.
Students should expect to spend two to three hours outside of class for every one hour spent in class.
For this course, this time should be spent reading the text, working homework assignments to learn
the material, reading comments you may get from your instructor, working on Excel Assignments,
and reworking problems that you have missed or not understood from previous assignments and
quizzes. Do not delay addressing topics you do not understand. Putting off addressing these will only
compound the problem! In addition to arranged help from the instructor, students can get help in the
Learning Assistance Center located on the second floor of the Campus Center.
The goal of this course is to introduce some of the underlying concepts in the field of statistics and
help students become more informed consumers and better citizens. The hope is that after completing
this course, a student will look at newspaper reports, claims of candidates for public office, claims of
marketing companies or consumer groups, etc. with a more critical and informed eye. This course
can be the foundation for further study in statistics.
Text, Tools and/or Supplies
Textbook: Elementary Statistics Using Excel , 4th edition by Mario Triola, 2009.
Calculator: scientific or graphing calculator (preferably a TI-83 or TI-84)
Computer Access: You will need access to a computer that has the application Microsoft
Excel installed. All computers in the SMCC open labs will have this software loaded.
Check the SMCC website for lab locations and availability.
Grading
Each assignment in this course will be worth a set number of points. Your final grade is the percent
of points earned divided by the total number of points available. Thus, assignments worth more
points will affect your grade more. Listed below are some typical assignments types and approximate
point values:
Excel assignments: 10 points each
Problem sets: 20 points each
Quizzes: 60 – 120 points each
Midterm/Final Exam: 200 points each
Classwork notebook: 50 – 100 points
Other assignments: 20 – 50 points
There will be a total of five Excel assignments. The Excel assignments will be graded on accuracy
and presentation. Very little class time will be spent discussing Excel features and the Excel
assignments. If you have very little or no experience using excel, then you should plan on seeking
help from the Academic Assistance Center.
There will be a problem set for each chapter. The problem set will be selected problems from the
book and you will be able to use outside sources such as your book, the Internet, or a tutor to
complete the work, if needed. These will be graded on accuracy.
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There will be a quiz at the end of most chapters. Students will be allowed to use their own
handwritten or typed and printed notes on the quizzes. Students will not be allowed to use the book,
worksheets, or electronic devices.
There will be a cumulative midterm and final exam. These exams will cover all of the topics covered
from the semester. Students will be allowed to use handwritten or typed and printed notes on the final
exam.
Students will be placed into randomly selected groups on the second day of class. Students will be
assigned in class assignments that should be completed collaboratively and written accurately in your
group notebook. These notebooks will be graded at the end of the course.
There may be other assignments or extra credit options available as we move forward in the semester.
The letter grade you receive will be based on the following grading scale as provided in the Southern
Maine Community College Student Handbook.
A 93 - 100
A- 90 – 92
B+ 87 - 89
B 83 - 86
B- 80 - 82
C+ 77 - 79
C 73 - 76
C- 70 - 72
D+
D
F
67 - 69
63 - 66
failure
Required Course Topics, MATH 230:
INTRODUCTION TO STATISICS
Statistical Thinking
Types of Data
Critical Thinking: Data
Collecting Sample Data
Introduction to Excel
(Chapter 1)
SUMMARIZING AND GRAPHING DATA
Frequency Distributions
Histograms
Statistical Graphs
Critical Thinking: Bad Graphs
(Chapter 2)
STATISTICS FOR DESCRIBING, EXPLORING AND
COMPARING DATA
Measures of Center
Measures of Variation
Measures of Relative Standing
(Chapter 3)
PROBABILITY
Basic Concepts of Probability
Addition Rule
Multiplication Rule: Basics
Multiplication Rule: Complements and Conditional Probability
Probabilities Through Simulations
Counting
(Chapter 4, not 4.8)
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DISCRETE PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS
Random Variables
Binomial Probability Distributions
Mean, Variance, and Standard Deviation for the Binomial Distribution
Poisson Probability Distribution
(Chapter 5)
NORMAL PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS
The Standard Normal Distribution
Applications of Normal Distributions
Sampling Distributions and Estimators
The Central Limit Theorem
Normal as Approximation to Binomial
(Chapter 6, not 6.7)
ESTIMATES and SAMPLE SIZES
Estimating a Population Proportion
(Chapter 7, 7.1 & 7.2)
HYPOTHESIS TESTING
Basics of Hypothesis Testing
Testing a Claim About a Proportion
(Chapter 8, 8.1-8.3)
CORRELATION AND REGRESSION
Correlation
Regression
(Chapter 10, 10.1-10.3)
Academic Policies
Incomplete: A temporary grade of “I” may be given when a student has, due to extraordinary circumstances, failed to
complete all required course work by the end of the semester. This assumes that the student has made a consistent and
persistent effort up until the point the “circumstances” occurred and that MOST course work has been completed. The
remaining work must be completed and a new grade submitted by the mid-point of the semester following receipt of the
“I” grade. A grade of “I” which is not changed during this period automatically becomes an “F”. Attendance: A student
who has been absent from class for three consecutive classes without permission and without contacting the instructor
will be reported to the Registrar's Office as having stopped attending. This will result in the student being dropped from
the course with a failing grade of AF. If you have missed class for any reason, contact your instructor by email.
Important Note: If you decide to drop out of MAT 230, do your paperwork. See student handbook for other academic
policies.
End-of-Course Evaluation
In order to gain access to final course grades, students must complete evaluations for each course attended at SMCC.
Evaluations are submitted online and can be accessed through the student portal site. Students can access the course
evaluation report beginning two weeks before the end of classes. The deadline for submission of evaluations occurs 24
hours after the last day of classes each semester. Instructors will announce when the online course evaluation is available.
ADA Syllabus Statement
Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer. For more
information, please call 207-741-5798.
If you have a disabling condition and wish to request accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the programs
and services offered by SMCC, you must register with the disability services coordinator, Mark Krogman, who can be
reached at 741-5629. There will be some documentation for your teachers that must be supplied before accommodations
can be given. Further information about services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is available
upon request at this number.
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SMCC Pay-for-Print Policy
Students can print 150 pages per semester free of charge. If you print over 150 pages, you will be charged 10 cents per
page to your student billing account for tuition and fees.
Leftover pages from each semester will not be rolled over to the following semester.
The College’s pay-for-print system monitors printing on all public printers (i.e. those in general access labs, library
printers, the Academic Achievement Center, Noisy Lounge and technology labs). Each time you log-in to the system, the
print station displays the remaining print quota. Once the printing quota has been exceeded, users will be charged $ 0.10
per page or $.05 per side if the printer prints on both sides on their student accounts on a monthly basis. Color printouts
will be charged at 11 page units. This means each color printout will count as 11 pages toward the quota and will cost
$1.10.
Add-Drop Policy
Students who drop a course during the one-week “add/drop” period in the fall and spring semesters and the first three days
of summer sessions receive a 100% refund of the tuition and associated fees for that course. Please note any course that
meets for less than the traditional semester length, i.e., 15 weeks, has a pro-rated add/drop period. There is no refund for
non-attendance.
Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from a course only during the semester in which s/he is registered for that course. The
withdrawal period is the second through twelfth week of the fall and spring semesters and the second through ninth week
of twelve-week summer courses. This period is pro-rated for shorter-length courses. To withdraw from a course, a student
must complete and submit the appropriate course withdrawal form, available at the Enrollment Service Center (no phone
calls, please). The designation “W” will appear on the transcript after a student has officially withdrawn. A course
withdrawal is an uncompleted course and may adversely affect financial aid eligibility. Failure to attend or ceasing to
attend class does not constitute withdrawal from the course. There is no refund associated with a withdrawal.
Plagiarism Statement
Adherence to ethical academic standards is obligatory. Cheating is a serious offense, whether it consists of taking credit
for work done by another person or doing work for which another person will receive credit. Taking and using the ideas or
writings of another person without clearly and fully crediting the source is plagiarism and violates the academic code as
well as the Student Code of Conduct. If it is suspected that a student in any course in which s/he is enrolled has knowingly
committed such a violation, the faculty member should refer the matter to the College’s Disciplinary Officer and
appropriate action will be taken under the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions may include suspension from the course
and a failing grade in the course. Students have the right to appeal these actions to the Disciplinary Committee under the
terms outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.