AP Statisics Syllabus
Overview of AP Statistics
 Public High School

Block Schedule (Fall/Spring) Activities are modified in the Spring semester to account for the unequal number of days before the
AP exam. The attached syllabus shows only the days required for new material. The remaining days are spent on review for the AP
exam.

The pre-requisite for AP Statistics is Honors Algebra II or Advanced Functions and Modeling. The majority of students are juniors
or seniors.

Classes meet for 90 minutes every day. They generally sit in groups of 3-4. We spend a small part of the class working in a lecture
format to learn new material. Afterwards, they work in groups on activities to enhance their understanding of new material. Group
assignments are formed according to different learning styles of each student. Cooperative learning allows each student to show
their knowledge of the subject matter. They are separated for tests and quizzes.

All students use a TI-83/84 calculator. The classroom is equipped with a projector that can be used for calculator and computer
display. Calculators are used extensively throughout the course for computations, investigations, and simulations. Some activities
with computer applets are used throughout the course. They use the computer lab which is equipped with the program Activstats and
Fathom. The library is also equipped with computers available at any point. They are exposed to problems using computer printouts from the textbook, released AP exams, and other classroom activities

Throughout the course, students are assigned special problems and projects as part of a concept-oriented instruction and assessment.
This allows students to make connections with other subjects and the real world.

Throughout the course the need for clear communication is emphasized. Students are encouraged to find articles that report on
application of statistics. These are incorporated into classroom discussion and provide many opportunities for students to pull
together what they have learned up to the time of the discussion. All tests include questions that require students to communicate
understanding of concepts and interpret results of computations in context using appropriate statistical language.

Students have many opportunities to receive grades. They have graded homework assignments each chapter. They have quizzes
after each section. There are also special problems, group activities, and projects given throughout. They are graded based on the
level of input and the value of the conclusions drawn and justified. Tests include questions that require students to communicate
understanding of concepts and interpret results of computations in context using appropriate statistical language.
Textbook
Yates, Daniel S, David S. Moore, and Daren S. Starnes. The Practice of Statistics (1st edition). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company,
1999
References and Resource Materials
Activstats
Against All Odds
Blackboard Website (used for several homework assignment)
Decision Through Data Video
Fathom
Golden Resource Binder
Texas Instrument TI-83/84 graphing calculator
Workshop Statistics
PACING GUIDE
AP Statistics
Text: Yates/Moore/Starnes, The Practice of Statistics
DAY
SECTION
1
2
1.1
1.1
3
TOPIC
HOMEWORK
Displaying Distributions with Graphs
Displaying Distributions with Graphs
#4-10
#14-18
1.1/1.2
Displaying Distributions with Graphs/
Displaying Distributions with Numbers
#25-29
4
5
1.2
1.2
Displaying Distributions with Numbers
Displaying Distributions with Numbers
#31,32,35,36,
# 38-46
6
7
2.1
2.1
Density Curves and the Normal Distributions
Density Curves and the Normal Distributions
#4-9
# 11 – 16
8
9
10
11
2.2
2.2
TEST
3.1
Standard Normal Calculations
Standard Normal Calculations
Chapters 1 & 2
Scatterplots
#22-26
# 27-33
#38-41
# 10-16
Resources/Activities
Use of STAT PLOT function in
calculator extensive in this section to
simplify the visualization and allow for
more in-depth discussion of the
interpretation of results.
Use of 1-var stats function in
calculator...we take “real-world” data
sets that have similar results with very
different interpretations and practical
meaning to discuss looking beyond the
calculator. Students learn here how to
communicate practical differences
versus numerical distinctions.
Further discussion of skew and
distributions of large populations and
how they may be shaped.
Small “project” that deals with writing
an article for a newspaper comparing our
school’s results to another in the area.
Graded on effective use of statistical
vocabulary and proper mathematics.
Full Project on used cars that provides
the forum to both collect data
(connection to Chaps 1,2) and then use it
to make predictions. Emphasis placed
on the communication of the meaning of
the calculations and useful
domain…assigned early, due at
approximately day 16. Projects done in
Excel and Fathom and submitted
electronically.
12
13
14
15
16
3.2
3.2
3.3
3.3
3.3/4.1
17
18
19
4.1
4.1
4.2
20
21
22
4.3
4.3
TEST
23
24
5.1
5.1
25
26
27
5.2
5.2
5.2/5.3
28
5.3
29
TEST
Correlation
Correlation
Least-Squares Regression
Least-Squares Regression
Least-Squares Regression/ Transforming
Relationships
Transforming Relationships
Transforming Relationships
Cautions about Correlation and Regression
Relations in Categorical Data
Relations in Categorical Data
Chapters 3 & 4
Designing Samples
Designing Samples
Designing Experiments
Designing Experiments
Designing Experiments/Simulating
Experiments
#20-24
# 25,26,28-30
# 50 – 52, 55,58 – 60
Analysis of linear models and how they
should be looked at carefully to see if
appropriate.
# 17,19,20,24,25
# 38 – 45, 49
# 62 – 66, 70
AP ’98 #4- ’99 #1- ’00 #3’01 #1- ’02 #4-’04 #1
# 19 – 27
Articles both read and then written that
mislead the audience with the use of
language that misrepresents the practical
meaning of the data.
Released AP Exam Questions
Look for sources of bias while designing
the sampling technique.
# 50 – 53,56,58
Simulating Experiments
# 68 – 72
Chapter 5
AP ’99 #3- ’00 #5- ’02 #2-
Simulation is appropriately done in the
calculator using the TI-83plus PRB/SIM
function.
Airline Overbooking Special Problem/
Project- Students make a
recommendation to the company based
on their findings.
Released AP Exam Questions
The Idea of Probability
Probability Models
Probability Models
General Probability Rules
’03 #4- ’05 #1
# 2, 4, 8 – 10
30
31
32
33
6.1
6.2
6.2
6.3
34
35
36
37
38
39
6.3
6.3
TEST
7.1
7.1
7.2
General Probability Rules
General Probability Rules
Chapter 6
Discrete and Continuous Random Variables
Discrete and Continuous Random Variables
Means and Variances of Random Variables
40
41
42
7.2
8.1
8.1
Means and Variances of Random Variables
The Binomial Distributions
The Binomial Distributions
# 45 – 50
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
8.1
8.2
TEST
9.1
9.1
9.2
9.3
The Binomial Distributions
The Geometric Distributions
Chapters 7 & 8
Sampling Distributions
Sampling Distributions
Sample Proportions
Sample Means
# 28 – 35
# 47,49,50,53
50
51
52
9.3
10.1
10.1
Sample Means
Estimating with Confidence
# 34 – 40, 43, 44
Use Poker/Casino lab to assess the
validity of our probability models for
games of chance. Students can discuss
potential sources of error.
# 67 – 70, 73,74, 77
# 10 – 17
Using discrete random variable models
of consumer issues such as insurance to
make appropriate decisions based on
consumer and business points of view.
With different sample sizes, have
students show their frequency
distributions to lead to the connection
between binomial and normal
distribution.
#4-10
# 12 -14
# #15-19,22
#23,24,30-33,35
# 36-39
#3,4,7,8,10,11
# 13,14,16,,19-20
Activity: students collect data on heights
using the mean to develop the idea of the
Central Limit Theorem
53
54
55
56
10.2
10.3
10.3
10.4
Tests of Significance
Making Sense of Statistical Significance
57
58
TEST
11.1
Chapters 9 & 10
Inference for the Mean of a Population
59
60
11.1
11.2
Inference for the Mean of a Population
Comparing Two Means
# 24,26 – 29,31,33
61
62
11.2
12.1
Comparing Two Means
Inference for a Population Proportion
# 50 – 54
63
64
12.1
12.2
Inference for a Population Proportion
Comparing Two Proportions
# 13 – 19
65
12.2
Comparing Two Proportions
# 28 – 31,34
66
TEST
67
68
13.1
13.1
Test for Goodness of Fit
Test for Goodness of Fit
69
13.2
Inference for Two-Way Tables
Inference as Decision
# 28,29-30, 33-35
#39,40,45-50
# 62 – 65
# 72, 74-76
Decision Making: use current events to
analyze and discuss the implications of
Type I and Type II errors in real world
situations.
At this point, we begin using the
calculator more. They understand the
computations and now can begin to
spend more time on the decision making.
Losing Weight Special Problem/Project:
Students investigate the difference of
two means in the long term effect of two
exercise programs.
Voting issues: Do they show a
meaningful majority?
Chapters 11 & 12
# 10 – 13
Voting issues: Do they show a
meaningful difference between
candidates or issues?
Movie: A Civil Action
Students complete worksheet on idea of
movie and consequences of decisions.
Outside Class Project: The Airport
Problem. Reviews probability and
simulations, inference, and Type II error.
M&M’s Special Problem/Project: Is
there enough Blue? Students test sample
bags to see if they matched the claimed
distribution of colors.
70
71
72
73
13.2
14.1
14.2
TEST
Inference for Two-Way Tables
Inference About the Model
Predictions and Conditions
Chapters 13 & 14
# 25,28 – 30
# 6,7,10
# 12, 15,17
AP ’98 #1- ’01 #2- ’02 #3’03 #3 ’05 #2
Released AP Exam Questions