Statistics 235: Introductory Statistics for Engineering
Section STAT 235-ES1, January 8 – April 11, 2013
Instructor:Matúš Maciak
Office:CAB460
E-Mail Address:
Office Hours:T R 13:00 - 14:00
Lecture Hours:T R 11:00 - 12:20
Text:Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists, by Anthony Hayter; Custom Edition, Duxbury, 2013. The custom edition is based on the 4th edition of the original text and contains chapters 1-10, and selected sections from chapters 11 and 12.
Course Description:
Stat 235 is an introductory statistics course for undergraduate engineering students. The emphasis is on data description, inference, and model building because those components are important in professional engineering practice. Students will also have an opportunity to work with a variety of data sets using the statistical tool in Excel. The tentative course schedule is provided in the table below.
Topic / Chapters in the text / LecturesIntroduction. Descriptive Statistics / 6 / 1
Probability / 1 (omit 1.6, 1.8) / 2
Random Variables / 2 (omit 2.4.3 and 2.5) plus heuristic definition of independence / 1
Discrete Probability Distributions
Continuous Probability Distributions / 3 (omit 3.3, 3.5)
4 (omit 4.3- 4.6) / 2
2
The Normal Distribution / 5 (omit 5.3.2-5.3.3 and 5.4) / 1
Sampling Distributions
Inferences on a Population Mean / 7 (omit 7.2 and 7.4) and 5.3.2-5.3.3
8 / 2
3
Comparing Two Population Means / 9 / 3
Simple Linear Regression and Correlation
Inferences on a Population Proportion. Comparing Two Population Proportions.
The Analysis of Variance
Review / 12 (omit 12.8), Excel regression output
10
11 (omit 11.2), Excel ANOVA output. / 2.5
2
1.5
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There are no classes in the week of February 18 – February 22, 2013 (Holiday and Reading Week).
Lectures:
It is very important to attend the lectures. If you miss a lecture, try to get notes from someone with good note-taking skills, and if necessary see the instructor for clarification.In some cases you may also need to read the text and do some extra exercises to fully comprehend the course material.
Arrive to class on time and remain for the entire period or if you must leave early do so without disrupting others. All cell phones must be turned off for the duration of the class. If you use a laptop, then be considerate of students around you. Refrain from having disruptive conversations during class. Respect posted office hours. If you need to see me outside of the announced office hours, please set up an appointment with me.
Web Sites:
- Stat 235-ES1 eClass Site: The website can be accessed from the University homepage (click eClass link). The site will contain the lecture notes, old exams and other supplementary materials. The solutions to homework assignments will also be posted on the website after the due date.The access to the Web site is restricted to students enrolled in this particular section of the course (you are required to enter your Campus Computing ID and password to access the site). The exam scores and homework scores will be posted on the site.
Statistical Laboratories Web Site: The site is available at (click Stat 235 link). It contains all lab materials (lab assignments, sample lab exams with the solutions, etc.) used in the course. The solutions to all lab assignments will also be posted on the site after the due date. In order to view or print out the materials from your home computer, you have to use Acrobat Reader.
Homework Assignments:
There will be five homework assignments in the course. The homework assignment questions are taken from the textbook. The questions selected from the text are provided in the table on the next page. Homework assignments must be submitted to the assignment box outside of CAB 331/335 by 10:00 PM on the due date. Make sure that you put the assignment in the CORRECT slot (Stat 235 ES1). No late assignments will be accepted. If you have a valid excuse for missing an assignment, the affected work will be left out of the final grade calculation. The marked homework assignments will be returned in class.
Each homework and lab assignment should follow the following format: the cover page should contain your full name, the course name (Stat 235 ES1), instructor’s name (Matus Maciak), and assignment number. The student ID should not appear on the cover sheet (FOIPP), it should be on the second page and subsequent pages. Make sure that all assignments are stapled. You MUST show work for each question and/or refer to the appropriate Excel output (if requested). Showing only the final answer will receive no credit.
Assignment / Topic / Problems from the text / Due1 / Graphical displays, summary statistics. Probability. / 6.2.4*, 6.3.3*+, 1.2.10, 1.2.12, 1.3.12, 1.4.6, 1.4.12, 1.4.16, 1.5.11, 1.5.12, 1.5.16, 1.7.4, 1.7.8, 1.7.12 / Jan. 21
2 / Random Variables. Discrete and Continuous Random Variables. / 2.1.6, 2.2.4, 2.3.6, 2.3.11, 2.4.6, 2.6.6, 2.6.22, 2.8.22, 3.1.6, 3.2.8, 3.4.6, 3.8.2 , 3.8.10, 4.1.4, 4.2.6 / Feb. 11
3 / Normal Distribution. Sampling Distributions. / 5.1.2, 5.1.10, 5.2.8, 5.2.14, 5.3.12, 5.3.16, 5.7.24, 7.3.8, 7.3.16*, 7.3.22 / Mar. 4
4 / Inferences on a Population Mean. Comparing Two Population Means. / 8.1.2, 8.1.6, 8.1.8, 8.1.16, 8.2.8+, 8.2.12, 8.2.18*+,8.2.26+, 8.6.8+, 9.2.6*+, 9.3.6+, 9.3.10, 9.3.16+, 9.7.14* / Mar. 25
5 / Simple Linear Regression and Correlation. Inferences about Population Proportions. / 12.1.2,12.2.4*+,12.3.3*+,12.4.4*+, 12.5.3*+, 12.6.2,12.7.1*,10.1.8+, 10.1.16, 10.2.10, 10.2.14, 11.1.2 / Apr. 8
NOTE: In questions marked with an asterisk (*), use the data available at the following website and Excel to obtain the plots or carry out the requested analysis. In questions marked with plus sign (+), note the alteration to the question below.
ASSIGNMENT NOTES:
6.3.3 – Omit calculating the sample trimmed mean.
8.2.8 – Part (a)/(c): as per the notes, replace the phrase “accepted” with “not rejected”. Part (d): Change
question to “Use the t-table to obtain the narrowest possible range for the p-value.”
8.2.18 – Carry out a full hypothesis test to answer the question.
8.2.26 – Change question to “…failure time of the components is more than 50 hours.”
8.6 .8 – Carry out a full hypothesis test to answer part (a).
9.2.6 – Carry out a full hypothesis test to answer the question. Also, calculate a corresponding 95% confidence interval. Does it confirm your test conclusion? How?
9.3.6 – Carry out a full hypothesis test to answer the question in part (a).
9.3.16 – Add part (c): “Compare your answers from part (a) and (b). Do they both suggest there is enough evidence to conclude that the chromium content has an effect on the corrosion rate of chilled cast iron?”
12.2.4 – Change part (e) to: “Can you predict the cost of an oil well with a depth of 20,000 feet? Why or why not?”
12.3.3– Use the estimate of the model standard deviation σ in the corresponding Excel output to carry out the appropriate calculations.
12.4.4 and 12.5.3– Use the estimate of the model standard deviation σ and the estimates of the regression coefficients in the corresponding Excel output to carry out the appropriate calculations.
10.1.8 – Carry out a full hypothesis test, construct the requested interval, and combine the results to answer the final sentence.
Labs
In addition to the two class meetings each week, you will attend one 80 minutes lab session each week. The lab has a two-fold purpose: the first is to simulate real-life statistical analysis; the second is to reinforce statistical concepts by manipulating data sets and observing the changes in the appropriate statistics.
Some lab assignments are based on instructional templates developed specifically for this course. Instructional templates are interactive worksheets that allow students to explore statistical concepts. They will allow you to concentrate less on mathematical calculations, computer manipulation (typing in commands, formulas and functions) and more on the analysis of the data which is the main goal of the labs.
Labs will start on Monday, January 14, 2013. The one hour and twenty minutes lab sessions each week will be held on PC computers in Windows 7 environment. You will be using Excel 2010. No previous experience with Excel is required. You need to use Bring your Campus Computing ID and your password to your lab sessions. In particular, you will need them to download the data used in the lab assignments from the Statistical Laboratories web site.
First Lab Session
In the first lab session (see “Introductory Lab” on Stat 235 Labs web site) you will learn the basic features of Excel that are essential for the labs. The lab instructor will be on duty to provide assistance when requested. The students are not required to submit any work in the lab session.
Lab Assignments:
There will be five lab assignments in the course. The lab assignments are available on the Statistical Laboratories web site. The lab assignments are due on the following dates: February 1, February 15, March 8, March 22, and April 5 by 10:00 P.M.
The assignments should be submitted to the wooden box outside CAB 331/335 by the due date. Students should make sure that they put their lab assignment into the slot labelled with the name of their lab instructor and lab section number. The lab assignments should follow the same format as the homework assignments. Labs will be handed back in the lab in the first lab period after they are graded. Late or misplaced lab assignments will not be graded and will result in a zero recorded for that assignment.
This is your responsibility to keep a backup of your work both on your AFS space on the University backup server. If you keep the work on a portable storage device (USB, ZIP) only and the device gets damaged or corrupted, you will not be excused!
All lab assignments are to be completed on an individual basis. Collaboration on assignments is acceptable; you are even encouraged to discuss lab assignments with other students. However, you are expected to write your own report in your own words.
While handwriting (pen and/or pencil) is enough for homework assignments, the lab assignments must be typewritten.
Exams:
Midterm Exam: Tuesday, February 26 (in class),
Lab Exam: in the week of April 8- April 11
Final Exam: Wednesday, April 17, 9:00-12:00 (place TBA)
All exams are closed book exams. In the midterm and the final exams you will be permitted to use a non-programmable calculator approved by the Faculty of Engineering. The three lecture sections of the course will be writing the same midterm and final exams. Cell phones are not to be brought to exams.
Missed Components:
There are no deferred term (midterm or lab) exams. A student who cannot write a term examination or complete an assignment because of an incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a transfer of the weight of the missed component to the final exam. In case of a missed homework or lab assignment the student must contact the course instructor in writing, within 48h of the missed assignment due date. Students missing the final exam must apply to write a deferred final exam which will be given on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 9:00-12:00 (CAB 357).
Assessment:
Homework Assignments 10%
Lab Assignments 10%
Midterm Exam 25%
Lab Exam 10%
Final Exam 45%
Grading:
Students in the three lecture sections of the course will be subjected to common grading procedure. At the term end there will be a record of each student's raw grades for all assignments and exams. Based on these raw grades and the assigned weights to each component, a term overall percentage will be computed for each student. After deciding about the minimum passing percentage, the ranges of approximately equal lengths will be determined for the grades from D to A+. To pass the course, you need a minimum weighted average of 40% on the three exams. There is no pre-determined quota of letter grades.
In order to ensure the fairness of the grading process for labs and homework across all groups marked by different graders, the total score for the five labs (five homework assignments) for each student may be adjusted by the overall average lab total (homework total) for all students in the course if significant differences among the groups are found. That means that some totals for individual students may be slightly increased and some decreased.
Academic Integrity and Honesty
“The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University” (GFC 29 SEP 2003)
Using Portable Video and Audio Recording Devices in Lectures
Recording is permitted only with the prior written consent of the professor or if recording is part of an approved accommodation plan. The recording can solely be used for the personal use of the student to enhance their understanding of the lecture material.
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Students with disabilities: Students who require accommodation in this course due to a disability are advised to discuss their needs with Specialized Support & Disability Services (2-800 Students’ Union Building).
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