NTHU MATH 2810 - Probability

Sep 2023 ~ Jan 2024

Instructor

Shao-Wei Cheng

Institute of Statistics, National Tsing Hua University
(鄭少為, 清華大學/統計所)

 

Course outline

    The course will be given on the basis of 3 hours a week (Tuesday, 10~12 AM and Thursday, 11~12 AM) in 綜合三館 room 203. The materials for teaching will be regularly posted on the course website (http://www.stat.nthu.edu.tw/~swcheng/Teaching/math2810/). 

    This course introduces students to useful and interesting ideas of the mathematical theory of probability, and to a number of applications of probability to a variety of fields including genetics, economics, geology, business, and engineering. The theory developed together with other mathematical tools such as combinatorics and calculus are applied to everyday problems. Concepts, calculations, and derivations are emphasized. Topics include the basic results and methods of both discrete and continuous probability theory: conditional probability, independent events, random variables, jointly distributed random variables, expectation, variance, covariance, and (possibly) limit theorems.

 

Textbook:

 

Ross, S. (2020), A First Course in Probability, 10th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall.

(A purchase link for group purchase pricing offered by the book distributor is here.)

  References:

1. Feller, W. (1967), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, Volume I, 3rd edition, Wiley.

2. Feller, W. (1971), An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, Volume II, 2nd edition, Wiley.

3.  Ross, S. and Pekoz E. (2007), A Second Course in Probability, ProbabilityBookstore.com.

 

Homework

    There will be weekly or bi-weekly homework assignments. You are free to discuss the assignment questions with your classmates or TAs, but you must write up your answers individually. You CANNOT turn answers in as a group or simply reproduce a classmate's write up. The homework assignments will be based on the GLOBAL EDITION of the textbook (note that the global edition might have an arrangement of problems somewhat different from the other editions). You are responsible to make sure that you are doing the homework exercises that are actually assigned. All homework must be submitted to our eLearn platform in the PDF format before the start of class on the day it is due.

 

Make-up classes

    When necessary, a make-up class will be offered via video and the internet. Information about the make-up class will be announced on the course homepage before it is offered.

 

Contact method and office hours

    My office is in 綜合三館 room 818 (phone extension: 33162). My office hour is scheduled on (1) Thursday, 10~11 AM in my office, and (2) 30 minutes after Tuesday and Thursday lectures (i.e., 12:00~12:30 PM) in 綜合三館 room 203 if time permits. Questions by e-mail are also welcome: my e-mail address swcheng@stat.nthu.edu.tw.

 

    Their information of teaching assistants is as follows:

name email address office hour
time location
洪梓瑋 wh50509@gmail.com  Monday, 3:20-4:20 PM 綜三839室
陳郁霖 asdf26533485@gmail.com Tuesday, 13:10-14:10 PM 綜三839室
廖翊廷 gb282711@gmail.com  Wednesday, 13:30-14:30 PM 綜三840室
黃佳盈 aggp1132@gmail.com  Thursday, 15:30-16:30 PM 綜三839室
許漢邦 hnpnghs@gmail.com Friday, 3:30-4:30 PM 綜三839室

 

Grading

    Your grade will be determined by homework (30 %), a midterm (30 %), and a final exam (40 %)

 

Prerequisites

    Knowledge of Calculus.