Welcome to Probability Theory! For course info and policies, please see the syllabus. For grades, log into Moodle. If you need help or have questions, please contact Prof. Wright.
Prof. Wright's office hours: Mon. 1–2pm, Wed. 9–10am, Thurs. 10–11am, and Fri. 1–2pm in RMS 405. Check Google Calendar for up-to-date availability, or email to schedule an appointment.
Help sessions: Sundays 8–9pm in RNS 207
Top
Today
Bottom
Friday
February 6
February 6
Introduction; what is probability?
Do the following before next class:
- Complete the Introductory Survey, if you haven't done so already.
- Read the Syllabus.
- From the textbook, read Sections 1.1 and 1.2, at least through page 10, and watch the accompanying video Sample Spaces, Events, and Axioms. Answer the three questions embedded in the video before class on Monday. When you access Panopto, make sure you are logged in with your St. Olaf account, or use the "Panopto Course Videos" link on the MATH 262 Moodle page.
- Begin Homework 1, which is due Wednesday. Do at least the warm-up problem, and start thinking about the problems from §1.1.
Monday
February 9
February 9
Sample spaces and events; axioms of probability
Do the following before next class:
- Work on Homework 1 (due Wednesday). Try to complete this before class on Wednesday. It's due at 5pm Wednesday, so there will be time to ask last-minute questions after class if necessary.
- Read §1.3 in the textbook, and watch the accompanying video Counting Methods. Answer the three questions embedded in the video before class on Wednesday.
Bonus video: Paths to Math: John Urschel
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions to the problems from class.
- Begin Homework 2, which is due Monday.
- Watch the video Four Types of Couting Problems and answer the questions embedded in the video before class on Friday.
Friday
February 13
February 13
More counting methods
MSCS Colloquium: A CURIous Invitation Friday, February 13, 3:30–4:30pm in RNS 210
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions to the problems from class.
- Work on Homework 2. Try to complete this before class on Monday. It's due at 5pm Monday, so there will be time to ask last-minute questions after class if necessary. (Note that solutions to Homework 1 are posted.)
- Watch the video Conditional Probability and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Monday. Also read the examples in §1.4 in the textbook.
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions to the problems from class.
- Begin Homework 3 (due Friday).
- Watch the video Independence and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Wednesday. Also read §1.5 in the textbook.
Wednesday
February 18
February 18
Independence
Bonus video: Eugenia Cheng on The Late Show
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions to the problems from class.
- Finish Homework 3. It's due at 5pm Friday, so there will be time to ask last-minute questions after class if necessary.
- Watch the video Simulation of Random Events and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Friday. Also read §1.6 in the textbook.
- If possible, bring a computer with Mathematica or R to class on Friday.
Do the following before next class:
- Watch the video Discrete Random Variables and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Monday. Also read §2.1 and §2.2 in the textbook.
- Begin Homework 4 (due Wednesday).
Monday
February 23
February 23
Random variables; discrete distributions
MSCS Colloquium: Dr. Alex Knutson, How Simple Statistics and Human Genetics can Guide Drug Discovery Monday, February 23, 3:30–4:30pm in RNS 210
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions to the problems from class.
- Watch the video Expected Value and Standard Deviation and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Wednesday. Also read §2.3 in the textbook.
- Finish Homework 4. It's due at 5pm Wednesday, so there will be time to ask last-minute questions after class on Wednesday if necessary.
Do the following before next class:
- Review the solutions from the problems in class, especially those involving Chebyshev's Inequality.
- Watch the video The Binomial Distribution and answer the questions embedded in the video before coming to class on Friday. Also read §2.4 in the textbook.
- Begin Homework 5 (due Monday).
- Read the Exam 1 Information. Begin reviewing what you learned from Chapter 1 in our textbook.
Friday
February 27
February 27
Binomial distribution
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
MSCS Colloquium: Kaelyn Willingham, Doing Geometry in a Tropical Climate! Monday, March 2, 3:30–4:30pm in RNS 210
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
March 4
March 4
Review day
Homework 6
(not collected)
(not collected)
Complete the take-home exam problems. Bring your solutions to the in-class exam on Friday.
Friday
March 6
March 6
Exam 1: covering sections 1.1 through 2.4 in the textbook
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
March 9
March 9
Hypergeometric distribution
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
March 11
March 11
Negative binomial and geometric distributions
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
March 16
March 16
Moment-generating functions
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
March 18
March 18
Simulation of discrete random variables
Homework 8
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Friday
March 20
March 20
Continuous random variables; uniform distribution
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
March 23
March 23
Expected values of continuous distributions
Homework 9
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
March 25
March 25
Normal distribution
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Have a great Spring Break! No class March 30 — April 6.
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
April 8
April 8
Gamma distribution
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Friday
April 10
April 10
Transformations of continuous random variables
Homework 11
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
April 13
April 13
Simulation of continuous random variables
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
April 15
April 15
Review day
Homework 12
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Complete the take-home exam problems. Bring your solutions to the in-class exam on Friday.
Friday
April 17
April 17
Exam 2: covering sections 2.1 through 3.7 in the textbook
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
April 20
April 20
Joint distributions
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
April 22
April 22
Expected values, covariance, and correlation
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Friday
April 24
April 24
Linear combinations of random variables
Homework 13
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
April 27
April 27
Properties of linear combinations
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
April 29
April 29
Conditional distributions and expectation
Homework 14
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Friday
May 1
May 1
Limit theorems
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
May 6
May 6
Transformations (cdf method)
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Monday
May 11
May 11
Order statistics
Do the following before next class:
- To be announced
Wednesday
May 13
May 13
Review day
Homework 17
due at 5pm
due at 5pm
Complete the take-home exam problems. Bring your solutions to the in-class exam on Friday. Study for the in-class exam.
Monday
May 18
May 18
Final Exam 9:00–11:00am
