Beginners Guide to Probability & Statistics: Examples & Applications

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for books or courses suitable for beginners in Probability and Statistics, with an emphasis on practical applications and engaging examples. Participants express a desire for resources that go beyond trivial cases and include real-world applications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests recommendations for beginner-friendly resources that include good, non-trivial examples related to everyday life and applications.
  • Another participant suggests "Mathematical Statistics with Applications" as a resource used at their university, noting it contains many problems.
  • A different participant inquires about the authors of "Mathematical Statistics with Applications," highlighting the importance of identifying books by their authors.
  • One participant recommends "A First Course in Probability" by Ross, mentioning it is a good starting point for understanding probability, although it does not cover statistics.
  • Another participant expresses enjoyment of "Understanding Probability" by Henk Tijms, stating it is filled with interesting examples.
  • There is a reiteration of the inquiry about the authors of "Mathematical Statistics with Applications," confirming the popular authors Wackerly, Mendenhall, and Scheaffer.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for resources that provide practical examples, but there are multiple recommendations and no consensus on a single best resource.

Contextual Notes

Some recommendations focus on probability specifically, while others encompass broader statistical concepts. There is no resolution on which book or course is definitively the best choice for beginners.

Who May Find This Useful

Beginners in Probability and Statistics, educators seeking resources for teaching, and individuals interested in practical applications of statistical concepts.

BrunoIdeas
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What book or course would you recommend to a beginner in Probability and Statistics?
That is my question. However I would like to specify my intentions.
Along my math courses I have observed (many people have) that mathematicians have a different way of thinking this common language, mathematics, so is their focus. So I would like a book/course which has applications and really good, non trivial, examples. I found this a key point, GOOD EXAMPLES, not just the case for zero which obvsiously verifies everey property or the empty set. Examples that have to do either with everyday life or with applications.

Thanks in advance to everyone.
 
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BrunoIdeas said:
What book or course would you recommend to a beginner in Probability and Statistics?
That is my question. However I would like to specify my intentions.
Along my math courses I have observed (many people have) that mathematicians have a different way of thinking this common language, mathematics, so is their focus. So I would like a book/course which has applications and really good, non trivial, examples. I found this a key point, GOOD EXAMPLES, not just the case for zero which obvsiously verifies everey property or the empty set. Examples that have to do either with everyday life or with applications.

Thanks in advance to everyone.

Hey there BrunoIdeas and welcome to the forums.

Most of the standard introductory A level probability books do focus on applications.

My university used Mathematical Statistics with Applications and it has a lot of problems which should keep you busy.

Get some of the actuary exams of the respective professional websites: that should keep you busy and give you a few headaches.
 


chiro said:
My university used Mathematical Statistics with Applications and it has a lot of problems which should keep you busy.

Can you remember the author(s)? They're often a more distinctive way of identifying such books. The first page of Google results I got contained 3 of that title. But the blurb here at Amazon.com says the one by Wackerly, Mendenhall & Scheaffer is a popular choice at US universities.
 


For basic probability theory with lots of examples and fun problems, I really like "a first course in probability" by Ross. Your college library likely has it. If you want to buy it, get a used copy of an old edition for cheap. I learned from the third edition which I thought was quite excellent - am not familiar with other editions by I suspect they are similar. Does not contain statistics, but you need to know probability before you can do statistics, so it is a good place to start.

good luck,

jason
 


I really enjoy "understanding probability" by Henk Tijms. The book is literally filled with cool, nontrivial examples :approve:
 


Rasalhague said:
Can you remember the author(s)? They're often a more distinctive way of identifying such books. The first page of Google results I got contained 3 of that title. But the blurb here at Amazon.com says the one by Wackerly, Mendenhall & Scheaffer is a popular choice at US universities.

That's the one.
 

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