Syllabus for Math 461, Section X13, X14

• Instructor: Richard Sowers
• Office: 347 Illini Hall
• Phone: (217) 333-6246
• email: r-sowers@illinois.edu
• Home page:https://faculty.math.illinois.edu/~r-sowers (this syllabus can be found there)
• Office Hours: MWF 11-11 and by appointment
• Class meets: MWF 12--12:50 in 148 Henry
• Problem Sessions: We will have problem sessions Fridays 11-noon in 147 Altgeld. Bring your problems.

Text: Ross, A First Course in Probability, 2006 (8th ed.), Prentice Hall
Course topics: Introductory Probability (see also the Course Catalog Entry for Math 461.

Grading policy: Final grades will be determined on the basis of the total numerical score (0-500 points) achieved on exams and homework. Relative weights are:

• Final exam: 7-10 PM Tuesday December 15
• Hourly exams: September 25, October 26, and November 18. These exams will be given in class.
• Quizzes: There will be 12 surprise quizzes, each worth 10 points. The two lowest scores on these quizzes will be dropped. Quizzes will regularly be motivated by homework problems or the previous lectures. There will be NO makeup quizzes (don't even ask).
• Homework: Homework will be assigned frequently and collected (or get them to my mailbox by the end of class). A random subset will be graded. Homework questions will be a preferrred source of quiz questions. Late homework will not under any circumstances be accepted (don't even try). I realize that the answers are in the back of the book. You will not get credit for simply repeating this answer; I want you to explain how to get this answer. I will attempt to announce new homework and other things on my Twitter Feed.
• Extra Credit: Want to write the final? One of the best ways of learning material is to write questions and answers (possibly modifying existing questions). Everyone is welcome to submit questions and answers for inclusion on the final. I would like to use your submissions to motivate some of the questions on the exam. I will give up to 5 extra credit points for any submissions. They are due noon December 9th.

Richard Sowers Department of Mathematics College of Liberal Arts and Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 273 Altgeld Hall, MC-382 1409 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 USA Department Main Office Telephone: (217) 333-3350 Fax (217) 333-9576