AP Statistics
2012 – 2013

AP Exam Date: Friday, May 10th 12 noon
Instructor: Mrs. Katie Godfrey
E-mail: kgodfrey@salesianum.org
Phone: (302) 654-2495 x 201
Website: http://bcs.whfreeman.com/tps4e
I. Course Description
The purpose of the AP course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting,
analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes:
1. (20-30%) Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns
2. (10-15%) Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study
3. (20-30%) Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation
4. (30-40%) Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses
II. Materials Required
1. Textbook: The Practice of Statistics, 4th edition, Starnes, Yates & Moore
2. Study Guide: Barron’s AP Statistics, 5th edition (optional)
3. TI-83+ or TI-84+ graphing calculator - A must every day!
4. 3-ring Binder or folder to store handouts
5. Notebook: you may use a separate notebook for notes or use loose-leaf in your binder
III. Grading Policy
To calculate your quarter grade, simply divide the number of points you have earned by the total number of points
that you could have earned at that time in the quarter. Look at the resulting number:
A
100-92.5
B+
92-88.5
B
88-84.5
C+
84-80.5
C
80-76.5
D+
76-72.5
D
72-69.5
F
69-0
Your quarterly grade will be comprised of the following components:
1. Tests: A test will be given at the end of each Chapter. Each test will be comprised of multiple choice
questions and free response questions (similar to the AP exam).
2. Quizzes: Short daily quizzes may be given as well as pop quizzes.
3. Projects/Labs: Most labs and projects will be started in class and will need to be finished outside of class.
You will have to type up the labs and projects. There will be a one-letter grade penalty for each day it is
turned in late. School days that we do not meet on will be counted in the number of days late.
4. Homework: Homework will be given every night and checked for completion. It is your responsibility to
complete the homework and ask questions in class on any problems you had trouble with.
5. Problems of the Cycle: These problems will be handed out on “B” days and are due the following “B”
day by 3:00 PM. I will not accept any late problem sets!
6. Preparation for Tests:
a. Online Quizzes: There is an online quiz for each chapter on the book’s website
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/tps4e. You must log in and take the quiz before the chapter test is
given in class. You must do this on your own! These grades will count in your quarter grade.
b. Free Response: FRQs will be assigned before the test and are due the day of the test. Each one
will be graded out of 4 points (similar to the AP exam).
IV. Failures
Receiving a final cumulative grade of 69.4 or lower will result in a failure for the course. The course must be
made up in summer school to receive credit for the course.
V. The Salesian Standard
Each student is encouraged and required to respect what God has given him and others, both in material goods
and scholastic ability. This respect implies honesty with one self and others. Taking the property of others –
material, intellectual, or scholastic - is a betrayal of respect as well as a violation of honesty. Academic integrity
is the expectation of every Salesianum student. Any student who jeopardizes this by plagiarism, cheating or
taking another’s work will receive a zero for the assignment in question. He will also receive a demerit. In
addition, the student’s parent/ guardian will be contacted by his teacher.
Note: a zero for a major assignment, test, or quiz can lead to a failure for the quarter.
Please refer to the School Handbook for more details.
Here are the key honor policies for this class:
1. You must write V+J on the top of every assignment, lab/project and assessment, which states that you have
not violated any part of the Salesian Standard.
2. You may work with other students on daily homeworks.
3. Students are forbidden to discuss the content of quizzes and tests until everyone has taken the assessment,
including students who may have been absent.
*To avoid this violation, do not talk about quizzes or tests until they are returned to you.
4. There will be instructions given for each lab/project as to whom you may work with and which
resources are allowed to be used.
VI. Net Classroom
Homework, along with powerpoints, will be posted the day it is assigned.
Most handouts will also be posted on Netclassroom.
Tests will be announced 1 week in advance. Pop quizzes will not be announced.
Grades will be updated once a week.
VII.
Extra Help
I will be available for extra help from 7:45 to 8:05 and 2:40 to 3:30 every day. Come in for extra help as soon
as you don’t understand something. Do not let yourself get behind!
VIII.
Student Responsibilities




Be in your seat when the bell rings with your homework on your desk.
Bring all materials to class: textbook, notebook, homework, calculator & pencil.
Raise your hand to be called on. Do not talk or call out in class unless you are called upon.
Copy all notes from the powerpoints and the board.
IX. Testing Policies
 During tests and quizzes, I will not answer any questions pertaining to material on the test or quiz that
you should have studied! If you believe there is a typographical error, please raise your hand for me to
check it.
 If you forget a calculator, you may NOT borrow anyone else’s and you may not go to your locker. You
will have to take the test/quiz without a calculator.
 There is absolutely no talking during a test or quiz.
 No one will be permitted to go to the bathroom during a test or quiz, except for absolute emergencies.
X. Make-Up Policy
If you do miss class due to illness or required activities, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find out what
you have missed.
 Check Net Classroom for notes, assignments and announcements BEFORE returning to class.
 Email me or talk to me before or after school if you have questions, NOT during class!
 All tests and quizzes must be made up 48 hours upon your return from an absence (barring exceptional
circumstances). After that, a grade of zero will be issued for any missing work.
 If school is canceled (due to snow, etc.), whatever was planned on the canceled day will be done on the
day we come back (tests, quizzes, homework, etc.).
XI. Course Outline (from the College Board)
I. Exploring Data: describing patterns and departures from patterns (20%-30%)
1. Constructing and interpreting graphical displays of distributions of univariate data (dotplot, stemplot,
histogram, cumulative frequency plot) - Section 1.2 and 2.1
a. Center and spread
b. Clusters and gaps
c. Outliers and other unusual features
d. Shape
2. Summarizing distributions of univariate data - Section 1.3 and 2.1
a.
Measuring center: median, mean
b.
Measuring spread: range, interquartile range, standard deviation
c.
Measuring position: quartiles, percentiles, standardized scores (z-scores)
d.
Using boxplots
e.
The effect of changing units on summary measures (linear transformations)
3. Comparing distributions of univariate data (dotplots, back-to-back stemplots, parallel boxplots) Sections 1.2 & 1.3
a. Comparing center and spread: within group, between group variation
b. Comparing clusters and gaps
c. Comparing outliers and unusual features
d. Comparing shapes
4. Exploring bivariate data - Section 2.2 and Chapter 3
a. Analyzing patterns in scatterplots
b. Correlation and linearity
c. Least-squares regression line
d. Residual plots, outliers, and influential points
e. Transformations to achieve linearity: logarithmic and power transformations
5. Exploring categorical data - Sections 1.1, 5.2 & 5.3
a. Frequency tables and bar charts
b. Marginal and joint frequencies for two-way tables
c. Conditional relative frequencies and association
d. Comparing distributions using bar charts
II. Sampling and experimentation: planning and conducting a study (10%-15%)
1. Overview of methods of data collection - Sections 4.1 & 4.2
a. Census
b. Sample survey
c. Experiment
d. Observational study
2. Planning and conducting surveys - Section 4.1
a. Characteristics of a well-designed and well-conducted survey
b. Populations, samples, and random selection
c. Sources of bias in sampling and surveys
d. Sampling methods, including simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, and cluster
sampling
3. Planning and conducting experiments - Section 4.2
a. Characteristics of a well-designed and well-conducted experiment
b. Treatments, control groups, experimental units, random assignments, and replication
c. Sources of bias and confounding, including placebo effect and blinding
d. Completely randomized design
e. Randomized block design, including matched pairs design
4. Generalizability of results and types of conclusions that can be drawn from observational studies, experiments
and surveys. Section 4.3
III. Anticipating patterns: exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation (20% - 30%)
1. Probability - Chapters 5 and 6
a. Interpreting probability, including long-run relative frequency interpretation
b. “Law of Large Numbers” concept
c. Addition rule, Multiplication rule, Conditional rule, and Independence
d. Discrete random variables and their probability distributions, including binomial and geometric
e. Simulation of random behavior and probability distributions
f. Mean (expected value) and standard deviation of a random variable, and linear transformation of a
random variable
2. Combining independent random variables - Section 6.2
a. Notion of independence versus dependence
b. Mean and standard deviation for sums and differences of independent random variables
3. The Normal Distribution - Section 2.2
a. Properties of the Normal Distribution
b. Using tables of the Normal Distribution
c. The Normal Distribution as a model for measurements
4. Sampling Distributions - Chapter 7, Sections 8.3, 9.3, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1
a. Sampling distribution of a sample proportion
b. Sampling distribution of a sample mean
c. Central Limit Theorem
d. Sampling distribution of a difference between two independent sample proportions
e. Sampling distribution of a difference between two independent sample means
f. Simulation of sampling distributions
g. t distribution
h. Chi-square distribution
IV. Statistical Inference: estimating parameters and testing hypotheses (30% - 40%)
1. Estimation (point estimators and confidence intervals) - Chapter 8 and Sections 9.3, 10.1, 10.2 & 12.1
a. Estimating population parameters and margins of error
b. Properties of point estimators, including unbiasedness and variability
c. Logic of confidence intervals, meaning of confidence level and confidence intervals, and
properties of confidence levels
d. Large-sample confidence interval for a proportion
e. Large-sample confidence interval for a difference between two proportions
f. Confidence interval for a mean
g. Confidence interval for a difference between two means (paired and unpaired)
h. Confidence interval for the slope of a least-squares regression line
2. Tests of Significance - Chapters 9 and 11; Sections 10.1, 10.2 & 12.1
a. Logic of significance testing, null and alternative hypotheses, p-values, one- and two-sided tests,
concepts of Type I and Type II errors, concept of power
b. Large-sample test for a proportion
c. Large-sample test for a difference between two proportions
d. Test for a mean (t-test)
e. Test for a difference between two means (unpaired and paired)
f. Chi-square test for goodness of fit, homogeneity of proportions, and independence (one- and twoway tables)
g. Test for the slope of a least-squares regression line