Math 493 Section 1 - Fall 2018

Instructor: Dr. Silas Johnson
Class time: MWF 2:00-3:00, Rebstock 215
Office: Cupples I, room 107A
Email: silas@wustl.edu
Office hours: MWF 3:30-4:30

This is an introductory course in mathematical probability. Major topics include:

• The basic laws of combinatorics and probability
• Discrete and continuous random variables
• Joint probability distributions
• Expected value
• The Central Limit Theorem and other related results

This is a proof-based course, in that we will prove things in class, and you will at times (though definitely not always) be asked to do so on homework. That said, the course will not require the degree of rigor expected in, for example, a real analysis course for math majors.

Special note for Fall 2018 only: There are two sections of Math 493 this semester. Students who enrolled in Sections 3 and 4 of of Math 3200 in Spring 2018 should enroll in Section 2 of Math 493 with Prof. Vittert. All others should enroll in this section.

While it is easy in a lecture course to sit back and watch math happen on the blackboard, remember that the only way to learn math is to do math. It is crucial to your success that you engage with the material both in and outside of class. We will spend as much class time as we can allowing you to learn actively, rather than passively, in a variety of ways. Be open to the fact that class may not always look like what you think a lecture has to look like!

It is also easy to get lost in a crowd in a large-ish class, but you will have better results if you approach learning as a community activity. (After all, if that weren't important, you could take this class online!) The best resource you have is not the textbook, old exams, homework problems, or office hours, but your classmates. Use them! Work together in and outside of class, form study groups, ask for and give help. Conversely, remember that you are the best resource they have too, and communicating your ideas to others is a great learning technique and a crucially important skill.

Finally, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Despite all our emphasis on grades, failure is a crucial part of the learning process, and you should not expect to get everything right the first time. It is also your responsibility to help create an environment in which your classmates can safely engage in productive failure.

Textbook: A First Course in Probability, 9th edition, by Sheldon Ross. Some homework problems will be assigned out of the textbook, so if you have an old edition, check with a classmate to ensure that you are doing the correct problems. (No credit will be given for doing the wrong problems.)

Recommended Textbook: Introduction to Mathematical Statistics, 7th edition, by Hogg, McKean, and Craig. A little bit of content near the end of the course will come from this book, but you are not required to buy it; I will ensure that you have access to everything you need either online or via lecture notes. This is also the textbook for Math 494, so if you are certain you will take that class, you can buy the textbook now.

Calculators: You may use any calculator you want on homework, but no calculators are allowed on exams.

Blackboard: Blackboard is our course management system; grades and homework will be posted there, as well as occasional announcements. To access Blackboard, go to wustl.blackboard.com.

Formula sheets: For each exam, you will be allowed a formula sheet. This sheet must:

• Be handwritten, in only one color of text
• Be limited to one side of one sheet of 8.5x11 (or smaller) paper
• Contain only formulas/equations, and labels for those formulas, not definitions, theorems, or solved examples

Homework: There will be around 9-12 problem sets, due approximately weekly. Homework will be submitted through Crowdmark; I will send instructions later on how to do this.

I strongly encourage you to collaborate on your homework assignments and discuss the problems with others. However, you must write your solutions yourself, and you may not copy from any other student. See the section "Teaching and Learning Philosophy" above for more thoughts on the role of collaboration in the learning process.

Exams: There will be two in-class exams, plus a final exam. The dates of these exams are:

• Wednesday, October 3rd (in class)
• Wednesday, November 7th (in class)
• Monday, December 17th, 3:30-5:30pm (final exam)

Students requiring accommodations for a disability during exams or otherwise should register with Disability Resources as soon as possible. Send your VISA (which you will receive from Disability Resources) to Dr. Johnson at least two weeks in advance of the first exam so your accommodations can be arranged.

Grading Scheme: Your grade will consist of 20% homework, 20% for each of 2 in-class exams, and 40% for the final exam. The lowest homework grade will be dropped.

Letter Grades: Total course grades will be converted to letter grades according to the following ranges:

• A+: Only given at instructor's discretion
• A: 90 and up
• A-: 85-90
• B+: 80-85
• B: 75-80
• B-: 70-75
• C+: 65-70
• C: 60-65
• C-: 55-60
• D: 50-55 (D+ and D- ranges determined later)
• F: below 50

If you take the class on a credit/no credit (pass/fail) basis, you must earn at least a C- to pass.

Campus Resources

• The Bulletin - university academic policies
• Mental Health Services
• Cornerstone - academic support services
• Title IX - resources on sexual harassment and discrimination
• Disability Resources - exam and other accommodations

External Math Resources

• Wolfram Alpha is a great way to check your work. Do not use it, however, to do homework problems for you.
• Sage is a Python-based system intended as an open-source alternative to Wolfram Alpha, Mathematica, and similar systems.
• GNU Octave is an open-source alternative to Matlab.
• Khan Academy has been immensely popular with many of my students as a supplemental resource, but I don't know what resources they have appropriate to this course.

This schedule is only an estimate! If you miss class, please confirm with another student so you can make sure you catch up on the correct material.