STAT 501 aims to cover Chapters 1–4 in Casella and Berger, continuing
with Chapters 5–10 in STAT 502 next semester.
Week 1: Aug 24–26
Wednesday
- Introductions to the course and each other
- Sections 1.1–1.2.1: Set theory, sigma algebra, basics of probability
theory
Friday
- Section 1.2.2: Calculus of probabilities
Week 2: Aug 29–Sep 2
Monday
- Section 1.2.2: Calculus of probabilities (cont)
Wednesday
- Section 1.2.3–1.2.4: Combinatorics in probability
- Homework 1 due (Sections 1.1–1.2.2) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
Friday
- Section 1.2.3–1.2.4: Combinatorics in probability (cont)
Week 3: Sep 5–9
Wednesday
- Section 1.3: Conditional probability and independence
- QUIZ 1: Section 1.1–1.2.2
Friday
- Section 1.3: Conditional probability and independence (cont)
Week 4: Sep 12–16
Monday
- Section 1.3: Conditional probability and independence (cont)
Wednesday
- Section 1.4: Random variables
- Section 1.5: Distribution functions
- Homework 2 due (Sections 1.2.3–1.3) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
Friday
- Section 1.5: Distribution functions (cont)
Week 5: Sep 19–23
Monday
- Section 1.6: Density and mass functions
Wednesday
- Section 1.6: Density and mass functions (cont)
- QUIZ 2: Sections 1.2.3–1.3
Friday
- Section 2.1: Distributions of functions of a random variable
Week 6: Sep 26–30
Monday
- Section 2.1: Distributions of functions of a random variable
(cont)
Wednesday
- Section 2.2: Expected values
- Homework 3 due (Sections 1.4–1.6) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
Friday
- Section 2.2: Expected values (cont)
Week 7: Oct 3–7
Monday
- Section 2.3: Moments and moment generating functions
Wednesday
- Section 2.3: Moments and moment generating functions (cont)
- Section 2.6: Cumulant generating functions and characteristic
functions
- (Skip Section 2.4)
- QUIZ 3: Sections 1.4–1.6
Friday
- Sections 3.1 and 3.2: Discrete families of distributions
Week 8: Oct 10–14
Monday
- Sections 3.1 and 3.2: Discrete families of distributions (cont)
- Section 3.3: Continuous families of distributions
Wednesday
- Section 3.3: Continuous families of distributions (cont)
Friday
- Section 3.4: Exponential families
- Section 3.5: Location and scale families
- Section 3.6: Inequalities and Identities
- Homework 4 due (Sections 2.1–2.3) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
Week 9: Oct 17–21
Friday
- Section 4.1: Joint and marginal distributions
Week 10: Oct 24–28
Monday
- Section 4.1 (cont): Joint and marginal distributions
Wednesday
- Section 4.2: Conditional distributions and independence
- Homework 5 due (Sections 3.1–3.6) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
Friday
- No class. Students are expected to attend at least one hour of
the Montana Chapter of the American Statistical Association Annual
Meeting in Room 166 of American Indian Hall 10am–4pm.
- Project proposal due in D2L by 5:00pm
Week 11: Oct 31–Nov 4
Monday
- Section 4.4: Hierarchical models and mixture distributions
Wednesday
- Section 4.4: Hierarchical models and mixture distributions
(cont)
- QUIZ 5: Sections 3.1–3.6
Friday
- Section 4.5: Covariance and correlation (bivariate)
Week 12: Nov 7–11
Monday
- Section 4.5: Covariance and correlation (cont)
- Project draft report due in D2L by 5:00pm
Wednesday
- Section 4.3: Bivariate transformations
Friday
- No classes: Veterans Day
- Homework 6 due (Sections 4.1–4.2, 4.4–4.5) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
- Project peer review due in D2L by 5:00pm
Week 13: Nov 14–18
Monday
- Section 4.3: Bivariate transformations (cont)
Wednesday
- Section 4.6: Multivariate distributions
- QUIZ 6: Sections 4.1–4.2, 4.4–4.5
Friday
- Section 4.6: Multivariate distributions (cont)
Nov 21–25: Fall break
Week 14: Nov 28 – Dec 2
Monday
- Section 4.7: Cauchy-Schwarz and Jensen’s inequalities
- Covariance and correlation for random vectors (not in textbook)
Friday
- Special topics / preview of STAT 502
- Project final report due in D2L by 5:00pm
Week 15: Dec 5–9
Monday
- Homework 7 due (Sections 4.3, 4.6–4.7) in Gradescope by 5:00pm
- Special topics / preview of STAT 502
Finals week
- Final exam in Wilson Hall 1-124 on Monday, December 12,
10:00am-11:50am