Math 335 – Probability (Fall 2007)
Instructor: Kevin Woods, King 220B, Kevin.Woods@oberlin.edu
Class: MWF 3:30-4:20pm, King 237.
Office Hours:
Monday 4:30-5:30pm, Tuesday 2:30-4pm, Wednesday 10:30am-12pm, Friday
12-1:30pm, and by appointment. Also, feel free to stop by any time my
door is open (but be understanding if I say I am too busy).
Required Textbook:
Richard Durrett, The Essentials of Probability, Duxbury Press, 1st and
only edition. We will cover basically the whole of this fairly
short book.
Other Recommended Books:
Ross, A First Course in Probability. On reserve.
Grinstead and Snell, Introduction to Probability. Available FREE under
GNU public document license at
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chance/teaching_aids/books_articles/probability_book/book.html.
Both of these books have lots of great examples. Grinstead and
Snell is a little more leisurely than Durrett or Ross, and it feels
very “wordy” to me, if you like that sort of thing.
Blackboard:
Under “Quick Links” on college website. I will post
homework, reading, other announcements, and grades on Blackboard.
Grading:
Problem Sets (35%),
Two Take-Home Midterms (20% each),
Final Exam (25%).
Problem Sets (35%).
The best way to learn the concepts in this course is to get your hands
dirty! I hope you will work in groups on these, though your
written solutions must be in your own words. This is also an
opportunity to work on writing careful, clear proofs and
explanations. Good mathematics is articulate mathematics! Explain
things carefully and in complete sentences. Imagine that another
student in the class who hasn’t done this problem yet will read
your solution: they should be able to understand it without having to
ask you questions. These problems will be graded very strictly for how
coherently written they are. Problem sets will be due approximately
every Wednesday. Your lowest problem set grade will be dropped.
Honor Code: You should (but aren’t required) to work together on
these problems, but your written solutions must be your own. In
particular, you should never look at another student’s write-up.
Please indicate on your solutions who you worked with. You may
use outside sources, as long as they don’t directly address the
assigned problem or a substantially similar one. Please cite any
sources you use that helped you.
Late Work Policy: If they are handed in before I leave my office that
day (no guarantee when that is), you get full credit. If they are
handed in the next school day before I leave, you get 90%. Two school
days, 70%, three school days 50%, more than that 0%.
Take-home midterms (20% each).
Tentatively due Wednesday, October 10 and Wednesday, November 21.
You will choose a continuous 24 hour period within the span of about 4
days in which to take the test. The exams will be designed to be
doable in 3 or 4 hours, but you’ll have the extra time to
“sleep on it.” You will work alone and be able to use
the textbook and notes, but no other outside sources.
Final Exam (25%).
Thursday, December 20, 9-11pm. The final exam will cover the entire
course. It will be closed book, but you will be able to use
something like an 8.5x11 sheet with notes.
