Elementary Probability (UMN Math 4653)

Instructor: Igor Pak, VinH 258, pak@math. (write "MATH 4653" in the subject line)

Class Schedule: TuTh 4:40-6:35, VinH 213.

Office Hours: M 1:30-2:30, Tu 3:30-4:30 room VinH 258

Grader: TBA

Textbooks:
H. Tijms (T), Understanding Probability, 2nd edition (available at bookstore)
L. Rabinowitz (R), Elementary Probability with Applications (available at bookstore)
Additional reading will be handed out/posted online if necessary.

Content: The course splits naturally into three parts: basics, discrete probability and continuous probability. These parts are separated by midterms. The theory will follow Tijms, Chapters 1-12. Special emphasis will be given to problems, from both Tijms and Rabinowitz.

Grading: Homeworks: 30%, Two Midterms 20% each, Final 30%

Difficulty: This is an introductory course in Probability. The students are expect to learn the theory and solve problems on the homeworks.

Other expectations: I would guess that the average student should spend about 8 hours per week outside of class to get a decent grade. Most of this time you will be spending on the homeworks, but some should be spent on reading the textbooks and absorbing the class material. In addition to this, some time should be allocated for group discussions (see collaboration policy below).

Home Assignments

The weekly home assignments will be given on Thursdays to be returned also on Thursdays, starting Sep 11 (due Sep 18). No assignment will be given over Thanksgiving break or on the weeks before midterms. The assignments will be posted here (on the course web page) in .pdf format.

HA1 is available here. Answers and brief solutions are here.
You may find useful the birthday paradox applet and this Wikipedia page.

HA2 is available here. Answers and brief solutions are here.
You might enjoy this Wikipedia page on the Monty Hall problem. In fact, you might want to play the game here or read the recent NYTimes article about it.

HA3 is available here. Answers and brief solutions are here.
You might enjoy this Wikipedia page on the Coupon Collector's Problem.

HA4 is available here. Answers and brief solutions are handwritten and scanned: p1, p2, p3, p4, p5.

HA5 is available here. Answers and brief solutions are handwritten and scanned: p1, p2.

HA6 is available here. Data links: for problem III and IV. Answers and brief solutions are handwritten and scanned: page 1 and 2.

HA7 is available here. Data links: for problem VI, VII. and VIII.
Incomplete solutions are handwritten and scanned: p1, p2 and p3.

HA8 is available here. Incomplete solutions are handwritten and scanned: here.

Midterm and Final Exams

There will be two in-class midterms and one final. The schedule is: Oct. 16, Nov. 13 and during the Finals week.

Practice midterm is available here. Solutions are here.

Midterm 1 (with solutions) is available here.

Midterm 2 is available here.

Practice problems for the final are available here.

Collaboration Policy

For the homeworks, you are encouraged to form discussion groups of up to 5 people each. You can discuss problems but have to write your own separate solutions. Copying each other homeworks will be treated as cheating. You must write the list of people in you group on top of each HW.

Click here to return to Igor Pak Home Page.

To e-mail me click here and delete .zzz Make sure to write "Math 4653" in the subject line.

Last updated 8/14/2008