University of Jordan
Mathematics Department
Actuarial Packages (MATH. 438(, Second Semester 2007-2008
Instructor: Prof. Mohammad Al-Raqab
Office: Mathematics Dept., University of Jordan.
Class meeting times: Sun..-Thurs., 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Office hours : Sun., Tues., Thurs., 8:30 to 9:00 a.m.
Course Description: This course is aimed at providing the students the computer
skills through the use of statistical package (SPSS 16, Minitab 14 and Excel) and
enable students to analyze data collected through a computer software package. It
includes management of databases, graphical representation, statistical inferences,
regression analysis and nonparametric statistics.
Educational Objectives: The students will be provided with the needed knowledge
and skills for
 Be able to understand the statistical procedures used in various applications.
 Be able to perform and conduct the computations using Minitab, SPSS and Excel.
 Be able to discuss/compare the differences between the computer software
packages in analyzing various types data.
Text Book:
Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data
(4th Edition), by Samuel B. Green, Neil J. Salkind, Prentice Hall 2005.
Recommended Books:
1.SPSS/PC+ studentware Plus for Business by Marja, J. Norusis, SPSS INC.
2. Minitab Handbook by B.Ryan, B.Joiner and J.Cryer, 5th Ed., Brooks/Cole, 2005.
Course outline:
1. Management of Databases: Types of Data, entering data, importing and exporting
saved files on format: text; Minitab; Excel; Access, Recoding data and computing
values, merging and splitting files. (9 hour(
2. Graphical Representation: Bar chart, pie chart, line chart, polygon, curve,
frequency, tables and its graphical representation. (5 hours(.
3. Statistical Inference: Estimation of means, variances and proportions in one
population and two populations, independent-samples T test, paired-samples T
test, checking needed assumptions. (8 hours(
4 . Regression Analysis: Scatter plot, Pearson product correlation coefficient, partial
coefficients, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, residuals, Rsquare coefficient, step-wise analysis. (8 hours)
5. Analysis of Variance: One-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, one-way analysis of
covariance, one-way multivariate analysis of variance, one-way and two-way
repeated-measures analysis of variance. (8 hours)
6. Non-Parametric Procedures: Binomial test, 2-way contingency table analysis,
Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, median test, sign test, Wilcoxon test.
(6 hours)
Performance Evaluation: The course grade is tentatively determined as follows
Exam (Thurs., March 20, 2008)
20%
Midterm (Tues., April 29, 2008)
30%
Final Exam (will be announced later)
50%