In this course, you will learn descriptive statistics, a type of statistics that deals with the collection, organization, presentation and analysis of data. You will also learn concepts and theories of probability as a prelude to a course in inferential statistics that you will eventually take to make your knowledge of statistics complete. The topics covered include measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, probability concept and distribution, sampling, statistical estimation, normal and T distribution, and hypothesis testing for means and proportion.

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

• Collection and Presentation of Data, Frequency Distributions

  • identify different methods of data collection and presentations and note advantages and disadvantages of each
  • organize ungrouped data into a frequency distribution
• Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
  • arrange ungrouped data into an array, and determine the mean, median, mode and type of skewness
  • identify the modal class, median class, and class width of a given frequency distribution
  • for a given data, compute the range, variance, and standard deviation
  • showing formulas used and substitutions of figures into the formula
• Basic Probability Concepts
  • list the elementary events and composite events of a particular business probability problem
  • solve problems involving use of addition rule for both mutually exclusive and non-exclusive outcomes
  • solve problems involving use of addition rule for both mutually exclusive and non-exclusive outcomes
• The Normal Distribution
  • solve problems finding areas under a normal curve using a Z table
  • demonstrate the use of the normal distribution in business and industrial applications such as determining cut-off scores on aptitude tests
• Discrete Probability Distributions
  • state the required conditions for the use of the binomial probability distribution
  • recognize the basic formula for binomial distribution applications with the use of tables, compute probabilities for appropriate applications
  • recognize the conditions under which it is appropriate to use the Poisson distribution
  • with the use of tables, solve problems involving the Poisson distribution
• Sampling and Sampling Distributions
  • distinguish between judgment and probability samples
  • recognize what is meant by simple random, systematic, stratified, and cluster samples
  • define sampling distribution of the mean, and state the central limit theorem and its significance
  • write the formulas for and compute the standard error of the mean and the standard error of the proportion
• Confidence, Intervals for Populations Means and Proportions, Required Sample Size
  • know the difference between point estimates and interval estimates
  • calculate confidence intervals for means and proportion

The course grading criteria are listed below: *Please review the Blackboard site for updates*

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : mdantonio@nvcc.edu
Telephone : (703) 878-5712

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.