Introduction to Probability Theory

Welcome to AMS131!!

Instructor: Tatiana Xifara

Office: Baskin Engineering 365B
Email: xifara@soe.ucsc.edu 

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-5:00 pm

Lectures:Tuesday, Thursday 10:00-11:45 am, Kresge Clsrm 321
Required Text: Probability and Statistics. Fourth Edition (if you have the third edition that's fine too). Addison Wesley. M.H. DeGroot and M.J. Schervish (2002).

Additional Reference:  A First Course in Probability (sixth edition). S. Ross. Prentice Hall

Course Objectives:The course aims to provide an introduction to the basic
ideas of probability, distribution theory and their applications. The main goal is to develop
basic mathematical tools to consider models that incorporate uncertainty using a probabilistic framework.

 Course Syllabus

Teaching Assistants:

• George Labaria (glabaria@soe.ucsc.edu). Office Hours: Monday 3:00-4:00pm @BE 312 C/D, Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm @ E2 480
• Skylar Trigueiro (striguei@ucsc.edu). Office Hours: Wednesday 7:00 - 8:00pm, Friday 1:00-2:00pm @ BE 312C/D 

Discussion Sections:

• Monday 11:00-12:10 am. Engineering 2 192, TA: George 
• Tuesday 8:00-9:10 am. Engineering 2 194, TA: Skylar
• Wednesday, 9:30-10:40 am. Engineering 2 192, TA: Skylar (first 5 weeks), George(last 5 weeks)

Tutoring

Tutoring may be available, if a suitable tutor can be found.  If you know anyone who might be a good tutor for this course, please let me know.

Additional Information

DRC

If you qualify for classroom accomodations because of a disability, please submit your Accomodation Authorization from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) to me during my office hours in the first two weeks of the quarter. Contact the DRC at 459-2089 V, 459-4806 TTY.

Academic Integrity

You are reminded of the University's Policy on Academic Integrity.  I hope not to have to remind any of you individually about this policy.

Some Thoughts About Lectures

"In Praise of Lectures" gives some ideas about the purpose of lectures, note-taking, and not being afraid to ask questions. It's target audience is more advanced mathematics students, but everything it says applies here. Think about the ideas it presents, and you will have a better time in AMS131 lectures. In particular

• Lectures complement reading the textbook. In lectures I can spend extra time explaining ideas that students find confusing or difficult. I can try to judge from your behaviour your level of comprehension and adjust what I say accordingly.
• I am not, however, a mind-reader. If you have questions, please ask them. If you don't understand something, chances are there are others who don't understand either, but are more inhibited than you are.
• The lectures will present the material, but you will only know if you truly understand it if you try the homework problems. Only by applying the ideas yourself will you know that you have mastered them. “I went to a lecture on the violin, but when I tried playing one it sounded horrid. The lecturer can't have been any good.”
• If you are having difficulties, please come and see me during office hours. Do this early in the quarter, rather than a week before the final exam. My goal is for everyone to understand and be comfortable with the material. If this is also your goal, I'm willing to do what's needed to help you achieve that goal.