Probability: An Introduction with Statistical Applications, 2nd Edition

Appendix A

Use of Mathematica in Probability and Statistics

Reference is often made in the text to a computer algebra system. Mathematica was used for much of the work in this book, but other computer algebra systems are also capable of doing much of the work we do. We give here examples of the use of all the commands in Mathematica that have been used in the examples and graphs in the text, but we do not show the creation of every graph. In addition, no attempt is made to carry out our tasks in the most efficient manner; the reader will find that Mathematica offers many paths to the same result; the reader is encouraged to explore other ways to achieve the results shown here.

The material here is referred to by chapter in the text and by examples within that chapter. We often do not repeat the conditions of the examples, so the reader should read the text before studying the solutions. No attempt is made here to explain Mathematica syntax; the reader is directed to the extensive help pages for each of the commands we show here.

The text contains many graphs which are not reproduced here. Entries in Mathematica appear in bold-face type; the responses follow in ordinary type.

A simple calculation is necessary to load the Mathematica kernel. Then all the commands shown here will work as shown; no other knowledge in experience with Mathematica is necessary. This appendix is in actuality a Mathematica notebook and will run on a computer exactly as shown here with the exception ...