DS 212-02Z Business Statistics @ San Francisco State
Instructor Information
Instructor
Email
Vera Klimkovsky
klimkovs@sfsu.edu
 I will check my messages at least once a day (maybe except for the weekends).
 Include DS 212 in the subject line. This will help me get back to you quickly.
Virtual Office Hours: Thursdays at 5pm PDT via Zoom by appointment only. Alternatively, you may ask
your questions during optional Zoom meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 pm PDT.
General Information
Class:
CRN: Units:
DS 212-02Z 02328
3
Class Meets: Optional Zoom Meetings: R1 Session:
ONLINE
TTh 6:00 pm PDT
June 1 – July 2
Online Course Access:
iLearn: https://ilearn.sfsu.edu/ - this is the course management system
WebAssign: https://www.cengage.com/coursepages/SFSU_DS212 and https://webassign.com/
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The WebAssign is where you access your online homework and the e-book. You do not have to
purchase a hard copy of the text!
Textbook Title: Statistics: Learning from Data by Roxy Peck and Tom Short, 2nd edition
Technology: You need to have access to technology in this course. I recommend a graphing calculator
such as TI-83 plus, TI-84 plus, Nspire, Casio fx-9750GII, or even spreadsheet software such as MS
Excel or Google Sheets.
Course Description
This course presents statistical methods essential in solving business problems including descriptive
statistics, probability, probability distributions, hypothesis testing, estimates and sample sizes,
correlation and regression. Computer analysis of statistical data is integrated into the course.
Applications of statistics to business, life sciences and other areas are included.
Course Prerequisites/Enrollment Requirements
In order to enroll students must have completed DS 110 or MATH 108 or MATH 110 or MATH 226
with grades of C- or better; or received a score of 3 or better in AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus
BC or AP Calculus AB Subscore; or score of 50 or better in CLEP Calculus.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO'S):
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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Use descriptive statistics to present data;
Discuss the basic design of experiment techniques and sampling;
Apply the laws of probability under various conditions and effectively use visuals such as
a tree diagram or a Venn diagram.
Discuss and calculate probabilities based on independent and conditional events using
tree diagrams or two-way tables, and solve problems of Bayes rule type;
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Use z-scores, and calculate probabilities based on normal or binomial distributions,
calculate means and variances and standard deviations of discrete random variables;
Apply the Central Limit Theorem;
Estimate population parameters using confidence intervals and explain the result;
Perform various statistical tests and explain the result;
Explore bivariate data visually, compute and interpret coefficient of correlation and
coefficient of determination;
Calculate and interpret coefficients of a regression model.
Coursework:
Online Participation such
as discussion forums
20 %
WebAssign Online
Homework
25 %
Quizzes
15 %
Tests
40 %
On iLearn: For each topic (chapter) there will be a
discussion forum or another activity where student
will demonstrate that they are actively
participating in the course.
On WebAssign: The homework must be completed
by the due dates posted on WebAssign.
On iLearn: There will be a quiz for each topic
(chapter) to reinforce your understanding of the
material.
On iLearn: The material will be broken down into
smaller chunks. Expect four tests.
Tentative Course Schedule*:
Week 1
Starts Monday, June 1
Week 2
Starts Monday, June 8
Week 3
Starts Monday, June 15
Week 4
Starts Monday, June 22
Week 5
Starts Monday, June 29
Introduction; Data Types
Frequency Distributions; Graphs and Charts
Descriptive Statistics
Laws of Probability
Discrete Probability Distributions
Test 1
June 8
Continuous Probability Distributions
Sampling Distributions; The Central Limit
Theorem
Confidence Intervals
Hypothesis Testing
Test 2
June 15
Linear Correlation and Regression
Test 4
July 2
Test 3
June 22
* The tests are timed. Be sure to block 2 hours of interrupted time to take each test. For each
test you will be given 2-3 days within which you take the test. One attempt only. No exceptions!
Letter grades will be based on a scale:
A : 93-100%
A–: 90-92.9%
B+: 87-89.9%
C+:75–79.9%
D+: 57-59.9%
B : 83-86.9%
B–: 80-82.9%
C : 65-74.9%
C–: 60-64.9%
D : 53-56.9%
D–: 50-52.9%
F: <50%
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Expectations:
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Log into iLearn and WebAssign, and check your SFSU email account periodically: at
least once a day.
Attend the optional zoom meetings each Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm PDT.
The test must be taken within the time that they are scheduled. The test will be
timed.
Once a topic was presented in class, it becomes your responsibility to know the
material. You are expected to retain the information throughout the course and be
able to apply it as necessary. If, say, we are in Chapter 8, but you forgot something we
learned in Chapter 3, it is your responsibility to go back and review your notes.
The course builds and integrates theory and analytical techniques chapter by chapter.
Failing to master a chapter at the proper time will hurt you in later parts of the course.
Last minute cramming for exams is not effective.
In this course, you need to learn the vocabulary (terminology), symbols and formulas.
The quantitative aspects of the course can only be learned by doing the assignments
carefully. If you use a graphing calculator, it is your responsibility to work with the
calculator manual to learn the steps that apply.
You need to plan ahead and manage your time wisely: For every one credit hour in which
you enroll, you will spend approximately two to three hours per week outside of class
studying. Therefore, for this class, I expect you to spend 6 – 9 hours per week outside of
class studying: going over the lecture notes, reading the textbook, working on the
homework, reviewing for the exam, and researching for a presentation.
Any work you submit for grading must be done in a professional manner and should
look presentable. Messy work that is difficult to read or make sense of will not be
considered for grading and will receive a score of 0. Your solution should be shown in
steps arranged in a meaningful way. I don’t have to guess how you got from one step to
another.
Any graphs should be well labeled. It is best if you can use graph paper or a software
program (e.g. MS Excel) to make graphs and charts.
Early, Late and Missed Homework Assignments, and Missed Exams:
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You earn a 5% bonus on WebAssign homework problems if you finish the assignment at least 24 hours before
the due date. This means it is possible to get over 100% in the Homework grading category!
WebAssign homework problems may be completed up to 2 days after the original due date. You may grant your
own homework extensions on WebAssign as long as you have not viewed the answer key for an assignment.
You don’t need to contact me to get extensions on late homework: you grant these yourself on WebAssign.
There are no make-up exams, no exceptions!
Academic Honesty Policy:
 All work submitted for evaluation must be the student’s own work. Zero credit will be given for answers to
exam or homework problems which are believed to have resulted from cheating (for all students involved.)
See the University policy on Academic Dishonesty here: https://conduct.sfsu.edu/academic-dishonesty
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Policy on WU grades and International Students:
 WU (Withdrawal Unauthorized) indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw from the course and also
failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed
assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance
possible. For purposes of grade point average and progress point computation, this symbol is equivalent to an
F.
 International students who have enrollment unit requirements for their stay in the US need to be aware that a
course with a WU grade is not viewed as a course attempted whereas a course with an F grade is considered to
be a course attempted. The Mathematics Department will not approve petitions to retroactively change a grade
of WU to a grade of F.
Important Dates can be found at these sites:
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Registrar Dates & Deadlines: http://registrar.sfsu.edu/spring
Academic Calendar: https://webapps.sfsu.edu/public/webcal/acadcalendar
Additional Information:
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Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The
Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations
process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415338-2472), by email (dprc@sfsu.edu), or at http://access.sfsu.edu
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The faculty of San Francisco State University shall accommodate students wishing to observe religious holidays
when such observances require students to be absent from class activities. It is the responsibility of the student
to inform the instructor, in writing, about such holidays during the first two weeks of the class each semester. If
such holidays occur during the first two weeks of the semester, the student must notify the instructor, in writing,
at least three days before the date that he/she will be absent. It is the responsibility of the instructor to make
every reasonable effort to honor the student request without penalty, and of the student to make up the work
missed.
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SF State fosters a campus free of sexual violence including sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating
violence, stalking, and/or any form of sex or gender discrimination. If you disclose a personal experience as an
SF State student, the course instructor is required to notify the Dean of Students. To disclose any such violence
confidentially, contact:
The SAFE Place - (415) 338-2208; http://www.sfsu.edu/~safe_plc/
Counseling and Psychological Services Center - (415) 338-2208; http://psyservs.sfsu.edu/
For more information on your rights and available resources see http://titleix.sfsu.edu/
Do not miss a deadline:
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Academic Calendar on-line: https://webapps.sfsu.edu/public/webcalendar
Check your enrollment at: http://www.sfsu.edu/login.htm
SF State Disability Programs and Resource Center
Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor at the
beginning of the semester. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the
reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by
telephone (voice/TTY 415-338-2472) or by email (dprc@sfsu.edu). For more information please visit the DPRC
website at http://www.sfsu.edu/~dprc
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Religious Holidays
The faculty of San Francisco State University shall accommodate students wishing to observe religious holidays
when such observances require students to be absent from class activities. It is the responsibility of the student to
inform the instructor, in writing, about such holidays during the first two weeks of the class each semester. If
such holidays occur during the first two weeks of the semester, the student must notify the instructor, in writing, at
least three days before the date that he/she will be absent. It is the responsibility of the instructor to make every
reasonable effort to honor the student request without penalty, and of the student to make up the work missed.
SF State Student Disclosure of Sexual Violence
SF State fosters a campus free of sexual violence including sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence,
stalking, and/or any form of sex or gender discrimination. If you disclose a personal experience as an SF State student,
the course instructor is required to notify the Dean of Students. To disclose any such violence confidentially, contact:
The SAFE Place - (415) 338-2208; http://www.sfsu.edu/~safe_plc/
Counseling and Psychological Services Center - (415) 338-2208; http://psyservs.sfsu.edu/
For more information on your rights and available resources: http://titleix.sfsu.edu
Reservation of Rights
This syllabus attempts to clearly set forth how the class will be structured. However, circumstances may change. The
instructor of the course reserves the right to modify the syllabus when, in his/her sole discretion, he/she determines
that the change will better achieve our stated learning objectives.
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