STA 3033
Introduction To Probability & Statistics For Computer Sciences
Spring 2013
Time and place: 11:00AM - 12:15PM Tuesday, Thursday, PC 438
Instructor: Wensong Wu
Office: DM 410C
Email: wenswu@fiu.edu
Office hours: 2 pm – 4 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or by appointment.
Text: Probability and Statistics for Engineers, 5th Edition by Scheaffer, Mulekar, McClave,
2011, Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. [ISBN: 0534403026].
Prerequisites: Calculus II.
Topics:
Statistics (Chapter 1):
Introduction, Basic ideas and tools for displaying and analyzing data sets.
(Approximately 1.5 weeks)
Probability (Chapter 4):
Probability and counting rules, conditional probability and independence, rules of probability.
(Approximately 2 weeks)
Discrete Probability Distributions (Chapter 5):
Concepts of a random variable, probability distribution of a discrete random variable,
cumulative distribution function, and mathematical expectation; Bernoulli Distribution,
Binomial Distribution, Geometric Distribution, Negative Binomial Distribution, Poisson
Distribution, Hypergeometric Distribution.
(Approximately 2 Weeks)
Continuous Probability Distributions (Chapter 6):
Continuous random variable, its density and cumulative distribution functions; mathematical
expectation, Uniform Distribution, Exponential Distribution, Gamma Distribution, Normal
Distribution, Beta Distribution, Weibull Distribution. Transformations and Functions of a
Random Variable, Probability Integral Transformation Theorem and its Application in
Generating (Simulating) Random Variates From a Given Probability Distribution.
(Approximately 2 weeks)
Statistics and Sampling Distributions (Chapter 8):
Sample Mean and Sample Variance, Sampling Distribution of Sample Mean, Central Limit
Theorem, Normal Approximation to the Binomial Distribution, Sampling Distribution of
Sample Variance.
(Approximately 1.5 week)
Estimation (Chapter 9):
Point and Interval Estimators, Unbiasedness, Confidence intervals for means, proportions and
variances. Prediction intervals.
(Approximately 1.5 Weeks)
Hypotheses Testing (Chapter 10):
Testing the mean, the proportion p, the variance; testing the difference between two means, the
difference between two proportions, paired t-test, testing the ratio of variances.
(Approximately 2 Weeks)
Calculator and software: Each student will need a scientific calculator. Cell phone
calculators are not permitted for use in class or at exams. We will use “Blackboard Learn” as
the web assisted management system at https://fiu.blackboard.com/. Incomplete lecture
notes and all assignments will be posted, and grades will be recorded and tracked on
Blackboard.
Grading: Quizzes
Assignments
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Total
80 points (20%)
40 points (10%)
60 points (15%)
60 points (15%)
60 points (15%)
100 points (25%)
400 points (100%)
A: 368-400 points [92%, 100%]
A-: 356-367 points [89%, 92%)
B+: 352-359 points [86%, 89%)
B: 344-351 points [83%, 86%)
B-: 320-343 points [80%, 83%)
C+: 312-319 points [78%, 80%)
C: 292-311 points [73%, 78%)
C-: 280-291 points [70%, 73%)
D: 180-279 points [60%, 70%)
F: 0-179 points [0, 60%)
Homework: Homework problems from the textbook will be assigned after each lecture, but
no work will be collected or graded. The textbook has the answers to all odd-numbered
questions. Solutions to other problems will be posted on Blackboard.
Quizzes: There will be eight quizzes given at the beginning of randomly selected lectures
in the weeks without exams. Each quiz is worth 10 points, where 2 points will be given upon
attendance, and the other 8 points will be based on the performance of the quizzes. The quiz
problems will be directly drawn or slighted modified from homework problems. No make
up quizzes will be given unless extreme circumstances and documentation will be required.
Assignments: There will be two written assignments, 20 points each. Students may discuss
the assignment problems with each other but each student should submit their answers
individually. No late assignment is accepted unless extreme circumstances and
documentation will be required.
Exams: There will be three midterm exams, 60 points each, and a comprehensive final
exam, worth 100 points. Make-up exams will be considered only in extreme circumstances
and documentation will be required. Also, you must notify me prior to the exam or the day
of the exam if you think your situation merits a make-up. If you miss an exam for a valid
reason but do not notify me of your situation in a timely manner (prior to or the day of the
exam), then you will receive a zero on the exam. Individual work is required on exams.
Attendance: Attendance will not be taken but strongly encouraged. However, quizzes and
exams require attendance.
Dates of Exams:
Exam 1: 1/31, Thursday
Exam 2: 2/28, Thursday
Exam 3: 4/4, Thursday
Final Exam: To be announced.
Other important dates:
1/15: Last day to add/drop courses
3/12, 3/14: Spring break, no classes 
3/18: Last day to drop a course with a DR
grade
4/18: Last day of lecture
All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly
demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a standard of
academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational
mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found
responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and
sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook.
How to succeed in this course
1. Attend lectures and don’t be late. Quizzes play a big portion in the overall score,
and they will be given in the beginning of some lectures!
2. Download lecture notes before lectures, and take notes to complete notes during
lectures. Review for exams according to my notes and instructions, instead of the
textbook or other sources (your tutor’s notes or instructions for example).
3. Do homework problems! Although not collected, homework problems will appear
in the quizzes. And doing homework problems after each lecture is the best way to
practice and keep up learning.
4. Bring up your questions as soon as they come up, in lectures, by talking to me after
class, or by shooting me emails anytime. Keep track of your scores on Blackboard.
STA 3033 Review of Calculus
(Could appear in Quiz 1)
1. 5! = ________.
2.
Find the integral
3.
Find the integral
ò
ò
1
x dx =_____________.
0
¥ -x
0
e dx =___________.
¥
2n
4. Simplify using Taylor expansion å =___________.
n=0 n!
STA 3033 Preparation Survey
Results will only be used in anonymous data set. Thank you for your contribution!
1.
Gender
M
2.
Age __________
3.
Major _____________
4.
Height in inches
5.
You are currently resident:
A. On campus
F
__________________ inches
B. Off campus
6.
If off campus, how long does it take to commute to school on a typical day? ____________
7.
What is the major way of shopping for the past holiday season?
A. In store.
8.
B. Online.
C. Catalog.
D. None of above
How much did you spend on gifts during the past holiday season?
A. Below $100
B. $100-$300
C. $300-$800
D. Above $800