Math 466/566 - Theory of Statistics
Prof. Kennedy - Spring 2006
Course home page:
www.math.arizona.edu/~tgk/466/index.html
Instructor:
Tom Kennedy (Professor, Mathematics)
email: tgk@math.arizona.edu
(Please include 466 or 566 in the subject line)
Phone: 621-6696
Office: Math 607
Office hours:
will be announced in class and
posted on the web.
Text: Lectures on Statistics by Bill Faris.
This is a set of notes that can be purchased at the bookstore for
about $9. You can also
download the notes in pdf format from Professor
Faris's website.
Material covered: We will cover approximately the first 13 chapters
in the notes.
Software: We will use the
statistical software packware R.
It is a free software package for statistical computing and graphics.
You can download it from the link above.
Occasionally we will meet in one of the computer labs (Math 101 or 102)
in the mathematics building to use R.
Place and time: Tues-Thurs 9:30-10:45, room: Modern Languages 202
Important: Some classes will meet in the mathematics
building in one of the computer labs (Math 101 or 102).
I will announce in class when we will be meeting there and post it on the
web. If you miss a class, you should check the web to see if the
next class is in the usual classroom or one of the labs.
Prerequisites: The official prerequisite is Math 464 or 564
(Theory of probability).
We will be using ideas and techniques from probability throughout
this course. If you have not had the prerequisite you must talk to me
to see if it makes any sense for you to take this course.
Homework: Homework is the most important part of the course.
The only way to learn mathematics is by doing it. Homework
assignments will be posted on the web in addition to being announced
in class.
Quizes and Exams:
There will be approximately six in class quizes (15 minutes).
There will be one midterm exam and a comprehensive
final. The final is Tuesday, May 9, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
in the same room as the classes.
The mid-term is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 2 (in class).
Grading:
466 and 566 will be graded on separate curves.
Your course grade will be determined using the weighting
- 20 % for the homework
- 20 % for the quizes
- 25 % for the mid-term
- 35 % for the final
466 vs. 566:
With rare exceptions, undergraduate students should be registered for 466,
graduate students for 566.
The homework assignments and exams for 566 will
be somewhat different from those for 466.
Exam content: The exams will be based heavily on the homeworks.
Both exams are closed book, closed notes.
Missed Exams:
If you miss an exam for a legitimate reason, a make-up will be
scheduled at my convenience. I may ask for documentation
of the legitimate reason, e.g., a note from student health if you are sick.
Homework collaboration: I encourage you to discuss the homework
with each and share ideas. However, you should write up the homework on
your own. If you simply copy someone else's homework, I will consider
that cheating. It will also greatly increases your chances of doing poorly
on the exams.
Dropping the course:
Tuesday, Feb. 7 is the last day to drop without a grade.
Tuesday, March 7 is the last day to withdraw with a grade of W.
You will need to get my signature to do this.
After March 7 you need your Dean's signature to drop the course and
this requires extraordinary circumstances.
Incompletes: The University General Catalog says that incompletes
may be awarded only at the end of the semester, when all but a
minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed.
It should not be awarded if the student must repeat the course.
The Mathematics Department vigorously enforces this policy.
In this course, the only scenario I can envision that would
lead to a grade of incomplete is that you cannot take the final exam
due to illness.
Attendance: You are responsible for all announcements made
in class (possible changes to the midterm exam date, homework assignments,
etc.) as well as all material covered in class.
DRC:
Students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center must submit
appropriate documentation to the instructor if they are requesting
reasonable accommodations.