STA113: Probability and Statistics in Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

0. Just when are the homeworks really due?
Every Friday, in the lab(Teer 106) by 2:00pm.

1. When will the homework solutions be posted on the Web?
We'll try to have homework solutions posted within a few days of when they're due. That's one reason late homeworks aren't accepted.

2. Why can't I view the Homework Solutions on the web page?
Homework solutions are not posted until the assignments are due, of course. The Homework Solutions and some other items are in PostScript format; your web browser has to be set up correctly (so it will call GhostView as a "helper application") for you to view them. If yours isn't set up correctly you may still be able to SAVE the file and then PRINT it. Or try one of the Duke UNIX, MAC, or PC cluster machines, all of which seem to work correctly on PostScript.

3. How do we turn in computer homework?
Please write up your solutions to each problem, including those on which you used a computer (whether or not it was required). For computing assignments please also include only the page of computer output that has the results you need... circle or in some other way direct the graders' and my attention to the parts that you used.
Turning in just S-Plus or R output, without your description of the solution, is not acceptable.

4. How can we learn how to use R or S-Plus? Will it be taught in class?
From the course home-page you can get to a (very short) introduction to how to start S-Plus or R at Duke and get to the on-line help facility. You can also get help from your friends & classmates, your TA (both in office-hours and in lab sections), from a variety of on-line sources, or from S-Plus or R themselves.

5. When are the Midterms, and what do they cover?
The first Midterm Examination is Thursday, February 13, in class. It covers all course material through Thursday, January 30; this includes Mendenhall & Sincich chapters 1-5. There is no homework assignment due (and no lab section meeting) on Friday, February 14. It is a closed-book exam.

The second Midterm Examination is Thursday, March 27, in class. It covers all course material through Thursday, March 6; this includes Mendenhall & Sincich chapters 1-9. There is no homework assignment due (and no recitation section meeting) Friday, March 28. While some review material from chapters 1-5 may appear on the second midterm, expect most to be from chapters 6-9.

6. Can we bring a sheet of formulas to the Midterm?
Yes, you may bring a single one-sided 8½x11" sheet of formulas, definitions, etc. (this formula sheet may give you some ideas). We will include a normal distribution table just like Table 4, too and, for the second midterm, a table of the Student's t distribution just like Table 7.

7. Why aren't solution sets available for the old midterms and finals?
The most effective way to use old midterm and final exams as study aids is to try solving the problems, preferably without using notes or texts, to help you see what material you should spend more time studying. When solution sets or even just answers are available, many students find it impossible to resist looking at the solutions or answers without actually working through the problems' solutions; this completely wastes the value of having old exams made available. The TA's and professors will be happy to look over your solutions and discuss them with you, individually or in small groups, and will make extra time (not just office hours) to do this if needed.

8. What are projects like? When are they due? How can we get a data set?
Look at the project link from the syllabus page.