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STAT400

STAT400 (Statistics and Probability I) is a four credit hour statistics and probability course intended as an introduction for math-oriented students.

Content Covered

  • Discrete and continuous random variables
  • Basic probability distributions
  • Moment generating functions
  • Normal distribution
  • Discrete and continuous bivariate distributions
  • Conditional distributions
  • Covariance and correlation coefficients
  • Maximum Likelihood Estimation, Method of Moments estimation, Mean Squared Error
  • Confidence intervals
  • Hypothesis testing
  • Chi-square tests
  • Basic R usage

STAT400 assumes very little knowledge of statistics but does require understanding of calculus. The introductory topics of statistics are covered quite quickly, and the course moves on to more advanced topics such as hypothesis testing and confidence intervals.

Prerequisites

STAT400 requires calculus knowledge, including double integrals and partial derivatives.

When to Take It

This class is not strictly required for ECE, but it is a prerequisite for STAT410 which can be used to replace the requirement for ECE313. This class is designed to be a first statistics course for math-oriented students, but can also be taken after a 100-level or 200-level statistics course. This course is not intended for first-time freshmen.

Course Structure

The course structure of this class has changed in recent semesters, but typically consists of ~10 homework assignments, weekly discussions, and three exams.

As of Fall 2022, the homework problems are on topics covered in lecture and are graded for accuracy. The discussion sections are optional and are used to learn R, a statistical programming language. The exams are written and cover topics from lecture as well as basic R usage. You can create a cheat sheet for the exams.

Instructors

Prof. Albert Yu and Prof. David Unger typically teach this course. Prof. Yu is a very good lecturer and is very approachable.

Course Tips

STAT400 is a mathematically rigorous introduction to statistics, but it is generally considered easier than ECE313 since it covers fewer topics. Many of the students taking it have previous statistics experience, so if you do not then you may have to spend extra time covering certain topics.

Since the exam and homework format may change drastically semester by semester, use the generic advice of:

  • Showing all your work on exams to ensure partial credit
  • Starting the homework early to ensure you have time to seek help
  • Attend lectures even if you feel confident about the topics being taught about

Life After

STAT400 is a prerequisite for STAT410, which can be used to replace ECE313. STAT400 is also a prerequisite for many upper-level statistics courses, such as STAT420 and STAT425.

Resources