College of Business, San Jose State University, California  

Fall Semester 2004

Business 90:   Business Statistics

Section 10 code 50034  Lectures Tuesday   2:00-4:45PM  BBC 021

 

Professor Miriam Donoho      donoho@email.sjsu.edu  

Office: BT 765 Phone: 924-1346

Office Hours: T NoonÐ1:30PM & 4:45-6:00PM; R 9:00-10:00AM; by Appt.

Teaching Assistant:  Ashleigh Nebeker   anebeker@sbcglobal.net

 

Course Objectives

Develop practical knowledge of the fundamental concepts and tools of statistical data analysis, including: sampling, collection and presentation of data, statistical estimation and hypothesis testing, correlation and simple linear regression modeling. Emphasis will be on understanding of concepts and interpretations  of results rather than on memorization and manipulation of formulae. We will focus on business examples and applications.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course you should be able to:

1.   Create summaries of data in tables and graphs and interpret their information.

2.  Interpret data analyses performed by others. 

3   Understand the use of probability to formulate uncertainty and its application to risk analysis.

4.   Make smart decisions involving estimation and testing in the face of uncertainty .

5.   Understand simple forecasting techniques that exploit relationships among attributes.

 

Prerequisites

Math 70-- Finite Mathematics. You will be asked to show your course transcript.

Bus 91L Ð Business Computer Tools (WORD, EXCEL)

Very good verbal and written communication skills.

Commitment to serious work of at least 10 hours per week most weeks.!

 

Text

Statistics for Managers, Levine, Stephen, Krehbiel and  Berenson. Prentice Hall, 2001, 4th ed.

 

Evaluation: 

HW-                22% for 13 homework assignments  (drop two lowest grades of non-consecutive and other than #12, #13)

Quizzes           24% for 8 quizzes (drop the lowest other than #7or #8)

Exams-            30% for three midterm exams

                        24%  for the final exam (comprehensive).

Grade allocation:    A:  at least 90%;   B: at least 75%;   C: at least 60%;   D: at least 50%. 

Class participation will affect your grade. Exams are closed-book and closed-notes. However, one/two-sided 8.5 x 11 pages (one sheet) of formulae allowed for each exam.                 Academic honesty is most important. Incidents of academic dishonesty, such as cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the Judicial Office of the University.  See  Senate Policy at   http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.htm

 

ABOUT THIS COURSE

 

This course takes a practical approach to teaching basic tools of statistics and probability with emphasis towards business applications. The objective is to develop an intuitive understanding (rather than rote memorization) of basic concepts and tools of statistics.  Lectures will include real-life examples.

 

I strongly encourage you to ask questions at all times.

. THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS! It is DUMB not to ask a question

 

The nature of the material in this course is that each lecture builds on concepts developed in earlier lectures.  Therefore it is crucial to keep up with the reading and the HW in a timely manner.  The purpose of the frequent HW and tests is to keep you up-to-date and pace you through the class.

 

Attached to this syllabus you should find a detailed schedule of classes.  It lists the topics to be covered in every lecture and the corresponding pages from the text.

Advice: Read the material before every class: You will get more from class when you prepare than when you do not prepare.

Benefits : *Makes the class presentation/discussion interesting, lively and fun, for you and me.

 *Facilitates a personalized experience from every lecture and

 *Provides the best return on the time you will devote to this class. 

 *Makes it a lot easier to ask questions from the reading or that arise in class.

In class, I will assume that you have read the material in advance.  When I introduce the material you will have a chance to ask questions.  Usually students who read in advance are in the best position to ask questions.   If you do not read in advance, class may seem very fast moving and at times confusing, so once again, take my advice and prepare for every class by reading the material indicated in the syllabus.

Finally, since you will end up reading the text a few times in the course of the semester, you might as well do things right and read the material before every class.

 

Homework: The due dates of 13 homework assignments are listed on the schedule of classes. Homework should be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. Solutions to HW will be given out the day the assignment is due; therefore, I will not accept late homework.  

Your HW will be graded.

Study groups It is highly recommended to study in groups (two to four persons) and discuss the material as well as the homework assignments. However, everyone should write up and turn in his or her own assignment.

 


 

College of Business  -  Mission

The College of Business is the institution of opportunity, providing innovative business education and applied research for the Silicon Valley region.

 

College of Business Policies and Procedures

 

To ensure that every student, current and future, who takes courses in the Boccardo Business Center has the opportunity to experience an environment that is safe, attractive, and otherwise conducive to learning, the College of Business at San JosŽ State has established the following policies:

 

Eating

Eating and drinking (except water) are prohibited in the Boccardo Business Center.  Students with food will be asked to leave the building.  Students who disrupt the course by eating and do not leave the building will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University.

 

Cell Phones

Students will turn their cell phones off or put them on vibrate mode while in class.  They will not answer their phones in class.  Students whose phones disrupt the course and do not stop when requested by the instructor will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University.

 

Computer Use

In the classroom, faculty allow students to use computers only for class-related activities.  These include activities such as taking notes on the lecture underway, following the lecture on Web-based PowerPoint slides that the instructor has posted, and finding Web sites to which the instructor directs students at the time of the lecture.  Students who use their computers for other activities or who abuse the equipment in any way, at a minimum, will be asked to leave the class and will lose participation points for the day, and, at a maximum, will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University for disrupting the course.  (Such referral can lead to suspension from the University.)  Students are urged to report to their instructors computer use that they regard as inappropriate (i.e., used for activities that are not class related).

 

Academic Honesty

Faculty will make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct in their courses.  They will secure examinations and their answers so that students cannot have prior access to them and proctor examinations to prevent students from copying or exchanging information.  They will be on the alert for plagiarism.  Students who are caught cheating will be reported to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University, as prescribed by

Academic Senate Policy   S04-12  which can be found at

 

http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf

and

http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.htm

 

 

 


 

TENTATIVE   Schedule of Classes, Reading, HW dates and Tests

 

8/31      Introduction: Data & Sampling   pp. 1-21.    Tables & Charts: Numerical Data pp. 50-62

            Review of Excel see pp. 28-44

 

9/7        Categorical Data  pp. 68-72   Graphical excellence pp. 80-84

            Two-way tables and SimpsonÕs Paradox pp.  75-77 & Notes     HW1

 

9/14      Numerical Summaries: Location & Spread, Empirical Rule, Z scores, CV, RRR pp.104-124

Q1       Percentiles; Box-plots: pp. 131-134 & Notes    HW2

 

9/21      Bivariate data ÐCorrelation & XY plots  pp. 65, 137-142;

Q2       Probability/ Basic Concepts  pp. 158-165;     HW3

 

9/28      Conditional Probability &  Bayes Rule notes; pp. 168-178

Q3       Random Variables 182-184;

            The Covariance and Risk Reduction -Portfolios, diversification pp. 188-195& Note  HW4

 

10/5      HW5 Review  Exam I

            Binomial probability model pp. 197-203

           

10/12    Decision Analysis: Payoff, EMV, EOL, EVPI, CV, RRR,  sample information pp.722-740

 

 

10/19    The Normal Distribution  pp. 224-237 C.L.T; Sampling distribution of m and P  pp. 253-267.

Q4       Finite pop. Correction PP 284-5    HW 6

 

10/26    Confidence Interval Est. of m  and P,   pp. 282-298   HW7

Q5

                                                                                                                       

11/2      Sample size requirement   pp. 284-306  

Q6       Application of CI to accountin  pp.307-310

Intro. to Hypothesis Testing of m pp. 332-337;  HW8

                   

11/9      Hypothesis Testing of the mean pp. 338-353. HW9

 

11/16    Review &  Exam Introduction to Regression Analysis  pp. 512-526 HW10

             

11/23    SLR (cont.)  Estimation, ANOVA, and Inference  pp. 527, 527-543  HW 11

Q7

 

11/30    Validating regression assumptions via Residual Analysis. pp.528-532 HW 12

Q8       and Forecasting pp. 628-532, 546-550

 

12/7      Exam III  and review HW 13

 

FINAL EXAM  Friday 12/17    12:15-14:30

 


 

 

8/26 Homework  Schedule (tentative)

 

Hand in your HW at the beginning of class on due dates.

All  bold exercises should be done using Excel.

 

HW 1 due  9/7:  1.3, 1.7, 1.13, 1.19, 1.21,  2.13,  2.15(skip a)

 

HW2  due  9/14:  2.27,  2.31, 2.34, 2.36, 2.40, 2.41, 2.42, 2.31, 2.48,

Simpson Paradox Ð Describe a situation where Simpson paradox may occur and argue what should be the correct analysis.

 

HW3 due  9/21: 2.62, 3.3, 3.9, 3.14 (use the empirical rule in part d) , 3.15(what is the Z

                        score of 9min.), 3.34, 3.35, 3.38, 3.72,3.73

 

HW4  due  9/28  2.22, 2.23, 3.44, 3.45, 4.1,4.3, 4.6, 4.7, 4.9, 4.11 .

 

HW5  due  10/5: 4.19,  4.21, 4.30, 4.31, 4.33, 4.35, 4.51, 5.1, 5.9, 5.11(Excel for g.- k.)

 

HW6  due  10/19: 5.19,  5.21, 5.53 (Calculate the Z score Z{X=30} for part a) 16.3, 16.5, 16.15(a-i), 16.17(a-i)

 

HW7 due 10/26:  6.2, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.9, 6.11,6.13.

 

HW8 due 11/2:  6.39, 6.45, 6.47, 6.49, 6.53, 7.1, 7.3, 7.5, 7.7, 7.9, 7.10, 7.15

 

HW9 due 11/9:    7.32, 7.33, 7.39, 7.45.

 

HW10 due 11/16  8.13, 8.14, 8.15, 8.17

Do Not turn in but be sure you understand and can answer: 8.1-8.10

 

HW11 due 11/23:  8.19, 8.22, 8.33, 8.27, 8.31, 8.43, 8.45, 8.51, 8.53.