Undergraduate Course: Probability (MATH08066)
Course Outline
| School | School of Mathematics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | A first course in Probability, assuming prior knowledge of calculus, basic combinatorics and set theory.
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| Course description |
Probability theory, the mathematical description of chance, is a subject in its own right but also the bedrock on which Statistics and Data Science are built. We are surrounded by important questions involving chance but our intuition on the subject is often wrong. This course aims to give an understanding of the subject that will help you understand issues where chance plays a central role as well as preparing you for further study.
The course covers fundamental concepts and basic examples, assuming no previous knowledge of the subject. Some knowledge of calculus and basic combinatorics and set theory is assumed.
The central topics will include:
- Fundamentals of mathematical probability: sample spaces; events; independence; conditional probability and Bayes' Theorem. Discrete and continuous distributions.
- Random variables: expectation; variance; sums and products.
- Fundamental distributions: uniform; normal; binomial, geometric, Poisson, exponential and their applications.
- The idea and applications of the central limit theorem.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students are advised to check that they have studied the material covered in the syllabus of each pre-requisite course before enrolling. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
69 )
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| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
Students must pass exam and course overall.
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 20%, Examination 80% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of fundamental concepts of probability and be able to derive basic results from them.
- Carry out practical computations with standard concepts (such as conditional probabilities, expectations, variances) and standard distributions covered in the course.
- Model situations with an appropriate distribution and relate the properties and outcomes of the model to the original situation.
- Explain their reasoning about probability clearly and precisely, using appropriate technical language.
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Reading List
Notes and direction to particular online resources will be provided. There are numerous books and other online resources on basic probability. One book that would be an appropriate alternative source is A First Course in Probability by Sheldon Ross.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Prob |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Toby Bailey
Tel: (0131 6)50 5068
Email: t.n.bailey@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Martin Delaney
Tel: (0131 6)50 6427
Email: Martin.Delaney@ed.ac.uk |
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