Probability 170A Winter 2015 information sheet
November 30, 2015
Instructor:
Email:
Website:
Chuntian Wang
cwang@math.ucla.edu
https://ccle.ucla.edu/course/view/16W-MATH170A-4
Instructor’s website:
http://www.math.ucla.edu/~cwang/
We will use the MyUCLA grading program to post grades for homework and exams.
Instructor Office Hours: Tuesday 2-3:30 pm and Friday 12-1:30 pm in 7354 Math Sciences
Building
Lectures: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2-2:50pm in 6229 Math Sciences Building
Teaching Assistant: Yuming Zhang (yzhangpaul@math.ucla.edu)
TA Office Hours: Tuesday 1-1:50 pm, Thursday 11-11:50 am in MS 2905
Discussion: Thursday, 2-2:50pm in 6229 Math Sciences Building
Textbook: Introduction to Probability by D. P. Bertsekas and John N. Tsitsiklis, 2nd edition.
Other references (not required): Elementary Probability for Applications, Durrett, or a more
advanced text Probability: Theory and Examples, Durrett.
Topics: Sample Space and Probability, Discrete Random Variables, General Random Variables.
For more info and a rough schedule see
http://www.math.ucla.edu/ugrad/courses/math/170A
There also you can find course requirements and prerequisites.
Required Work: Homework, two midterms and a final exam
Homework: There will be 9 homework assignments collected every Thursday (except for the
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first time) at the beginning of the Discussion (which will be returned to you the next Thursday).
Homework will be assigned each Wednesday either in class or right after.
No late homework will be accepted. The lowest homework score will be dropped.
Note that homework will be drawn from not only from the textbook but also from supplemental
problems from the textbook which you can find here http://www.athenasc.com/prob-supp.html
Pleas put Student ID # on the first page of the homework label the chapter + section number as well
as the problem number.
You may discuss homework problems with other students, the TA or me, before they are turned in.
In fact, the right kind of discussion can be quite valuable. I do expect two things, though: (i) you
should try seriously to do the exercise yourself before discussing it with anyone, and (ii) you should
write up the solution yourself after understanding it thoroughly, without following someone else's
written version.
Theoretical problems: These are marked with a *, and are followed by complete solutions. They
are effectively part of the text, and I will cover some of them in lecture. I will maintain a list of those
covered on the class web page.
Midterms: There will be two midterms on Friday January 29th and on Monday February
22nd during the lecture time (that is instead of the lecture) in our usual room MS 6229. The
1st midterm will be on the material that has been covered in the class beforehand, and the 2nd
midterm will explicitly cover the material lectured after the 1st midterm (of course implicitly it
will cover the material for the 1st midterm as well).
Final: The final is on Monday, March 14, 2016, 11:30am-2:30pm (the location will be
announced as soon as possible). You have to take the final to pass this class (this is a
departmental policy). The problems on the final exam will put more emphasis on the material
covered after the 2nd midterm.
Exams requirements: Please only bring pens/pencils, erasers, sharpeners and similar utilities
you find necessary for writing (except paper, it will be provided). Exam location will be
announced. Please bring a valid photo ID (like bruin card) to every exam, and sign every
exam you take. For grading complaints and regarding requests (for homework and midterms)
please contact the instructor within 1 week of receiving your graded exam.
Grade policy: The homework will account for 20%, the first midterm is 20%, the second
midterm 25%, and the final for 35% of the overall score.
Makeup exams: Unless enforced by the University rules, there will be no makeup exams
and late homework to be accepted. Note again that the final must be taken to receive a passing
grade.
Special accommodation:
If you foresee an issue (due to medical/personal problems,
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university activities or other reasons) that might interfere with taking this course, or if you need
special accommodation please let me know as soon as possible. USP students please contact me
as soon as soon as possible.
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Disputing grades: If you feel that a mistake was made in grading your homework and exams, you
may request a re-grade within one week.
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