Statistics and Probability with Applications for Engineers and Scientists, Preliminary Edition

PREFACE

Audience

This is an introductory textbook in applied statistics and probability for undergraduate students in engineering and the natural sciences. It begins at a level suitable for those with no previous exposure to probability and statistics and carries the reader through to a level of proficiency in various techniques of statistics. This text is suitable for a one -or two - semester undergraduate sequence. The presentation of material gives instructors a lot of flexibility to pick and choose topics they feel should make up the coverage of material for their courses. The only prerequisite is a first course in calculus, which all engineering and science students are required to take. However, we recommend that a one semester course cover Part I and if time permits a topic selected from Part II that meets the needs and interest of the particular group of students.

Motivation

Students encounter data-analysis problems in many areas of a typical engineering or natural science curriculum. Engineers and scientists in their professional lives often encounter situations requiring analysis of data arising from many areas of applications. Indeed, very often they have to plan the investigation that generates data (an activity euphemistically called the design of experiments), analyze the data obtained, and interpret the results. These problems and their investigation may pertain to the maintenance of quality of existing products or the development of new products, or it may be that ...