Week 1

Outcomes, Events, and Sample Space; Probability; and Counting
Published

September 25, 2023

Modified

September 25, 2023

Resources

Below is a table with links to resources. Icons in orange mean there is an available file link.

Chapter Topic Slides Annotated Slides Recording(s)
Intro
1 Outcomes, Events, and Sample Space
2 Probability
22 Introduction to Counting
23 Case Study on Counting

For the slides, once they are opened, if you would like to print or save them as a PDF, the best way to do this is:

  1. Click on the icon with three horizontal bars on the bottom left of the browser.
  2. Click on “Tools” with the gear icon at the top of the sidebar.
  3. Click on “PDF Export Mode.”
  4. From there, you can print or save the PDF as you would normally from your internet browser.

On the Horizon

Class Exit Tickets

Monday (9/25)

Wednesday (9/27)

Additional Information

As we start the course, here are some administrative items that we need to do:

  • Please join the Slack page
  • Please read the syllabus on your own time

Extra Practice/Learning

  • If you would like a Calculus review, please see this page!
  • Combinatorics practice problems
    • handout (& answers)
    • Try to complete as many of these as you can before class on Wednesday.
    • We will discuss some of them Wednesday in class.
  • Pixar has a series of videos explaining how they use combinatorics in making animations
    • This is a great & fun introduction to the basic principles of counting
    • I highly recommend looking at them, especially if you have not studied permutations and combinations before.
  • There is a table on p. 277 of the book with formulas for 4 different common counting cases (does order matter (y/n) vs. sampling with replacement (y/n).
    • In class we covered all cases except “order does not matter and sampling with replacement.”
      • This case is often referred to as the “stars and bars” problem.
      • See this page for a proof to the Stars and Bars Theorem.
        • Note: Their notation is opposite of what our textbook uses. The website uses k instead of n and n instead of r.

Statistician of the Week: Regina Nuzzo

Image credit: Regina Nuzzo https://www.reginanuzzo.com/

Regina Nuzzo

Dr. Nuzzo received her PhD in Statistics from Stanford University and is now Professor of Science, Technology, & Mathematics at Gallaudet University. Gallaudet University, federally funded and located in Washington, DC, is the only higher education institution where all programs are designed for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. Dr. Nuzzo teaches statistics using American Sign Language.
She is the Senior Advisor for Statistics Communication and Media Innovation at the American Statistical Association and a freelance writer.

Topics covered

Dr. Nuzzo is a statistician and a science journalist. Her work has appeared in Nature, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Reader’s Digest, New Scientist, and Scientific American. Most of her work is in the “Health” or “Science” sections of the aforementioned outlets. Primarily, she works to help lay-audiences understand science and statistics in particular. She earned the American Statistical Association’s 2014 Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award for her article on p-values in Nature. Her work led to the ASA’s statement on p-values.

Relevant work

Muddiest Points

1. Why is the number of possible events \(2^{|S|}\)?

In class, we were wondering why/if \(2^{|S|}\) is the general formula for calculating the total number of possible events. We were specifically wondering if the \(2\) came from the fact that we had two options (heads and tails) for our outcome. Let’s work through the example of a 6-sided die to explain this further. The sample space is \(S=\{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\}\). So is the total number of possible events \(2^6\) or \(6^6\) or something else? We can actually think about an event by using an indicator variable for each outcome of the sample space. An indicator variable is just a way to give us a yes/no answer to a question. So in this case, we are wondering: is this outcome a part of our event? If our event is \(\{1\}\) then for the outcome \(1\), the answer is “yes, the outcome is part of the event. For outcomes \(2-6\), the answer is”no, the outcome is not apart of the event.”

For each outcome, we have a “yes” or “no” answer. We can look at another example of an event. Let’s say our event is rolling an even number:

For \(2\), \(4\), and \(6\), the answer is “yes.” We can define the indicator variable for whether an outcome is in an event or not. The indicator gives a 1 or 0 for yes and no respectively.

As stated above, the \(2\) in \(2^6\) comes from the \(2\) options from our indicator. Each side has two options, and there are \(6\) sides. Thus, \(2^6\) possible events.

2. What is an event??

I think this will become clearer when we start thinking about events in the context of probability. When we think of events outside of probability, we may think of something we actually do or something that happens, like going to a concert or coming to class or missing the streetcar. In this case, we think of the event as the single thing (out of all the options) that actually occured. For example, if I’m taking the streetcar to class, I can think of two definitive options of what might occur: I miss the streetcar or I get on the streetcar. Only one of these things can occur, which I may call an event colloquially.

It is important to make the distinction with events defined within probability. Events are not necessarily a single thing that occurred. Instead it can be a collection of things that may occur. In the example of the streetcar, I can define my event to include both options. Thus, my event is that I make the streetcar or I miss it. Both of these things cannot happen simultaneously, but if I want to calculate the probability that I miss or make the streetcar, then it is helpful to have the event defined.

Clearest Points

Mostly: heads/tails example, sample space, how to draw a quarter, possible events for two coins.