Undergraduate Courses

MA 487, Introduction to Mathematical Statistics

Course Description and Goals

This is a an introductory, calculus-based course in mathematical statistics. Topics include

• Review of basic probability, including probability spaces, independence, distributions and expected value
• The fundamental theorems of probability:: the law of large numbers and the central limit theorem.
• Estimation, including point estimation and interval estimates for means, variances, and proportions
• Hypothesis testing, including tests for means, variance, and goodness of fit
• Correlation and regression
• Theory of inference, including sufficiency and power.

Course goals include

• A basic understanding of the special notation, language, and point of view of inferential statistics
• A basic understanding of the major areas of inferential statistics, including estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression
• The ability to solve basic computational problems involving estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression
• The ability to model basic statistical problems in science and engineering.
• An improved ability to read, write, speak, and think in mathematical and statistical terms

MA/ST 487 also prepares the student for further study in probability and statistics

Prerequisites

MA 201, Calculus C and either MA 385, Introduction to Probability or ISE 390.

Credit

3 Semester Hours

Grading System

This course is graded A, B, C, D, F. The grade typically depends on a combination of class tests, homework assignments, quizzes, and a comprehensive final exam.