Discrete Mathematics
Alabama School of Mathematics and Science
1255 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36604

Learning Modules/Discrete Mathematics/C.Akkoc/1996

MODULE No.1

ESTIMATING the DISTANCE the TEACHER "WALKS" IN ONE TERM in the CLASSROOM

The problem is to estime the total DISTANCE (measured in miles) Dr.Akkoc WALKS in the classroom for one course during one term at ASMS.

Please follow the guidelines given here to solve this problem.

  1. There are 42 contact periods in one term. Three periods are spent on tests and the rest are lectures. You first need to figure out a scheme for getting/measuring random samples per period for the random variable, the distance the teacher walks. When you have created such a sampling procedure please discuss your plan with Dr.Akkoc before implementation. Your proposed scheme should have built in measures to insure randomness of the samples you collect. Sample size should be of top concern since it will influence your confidence intervals. The larger the sample, the higher the confidence level, and the smaller the confidence interval.

  2. Implement your sampling scheme to collect "raw" data. Record your data in tabulated form with dates attached.

  3. Using the raw data from your samples calculate the SAMPLE MEAN and the SAMPLE STANDARD DEVIATION for each sample. Then assuming a Gaussian distribution for the sample means, and making use of the Central Limit Theorem construct a 95% confidence interval for the total distance walked by the teacher during one term. Draw a graph (histogram) for the said distribution with the 95% confidence interval marked on the graph.

  4. On a blank sheet of paper show key steps in your calculations together with your results. Attach graph(s) and raw data sheets to your report.