# In over my head...



## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

just a quick background so you know where Im at. I'm a business information systems major, but I liked a few business stats classes so I decided to get a minor. To get the minor I needed 5 stats classes. I'm not "math person", but I could still do the work and had no problem completing the first 4 classes.

So I have a good base of stats classes, but still nothing crazy. And I get to this semester to see my last stats class (long story on why its the only one I can take) and the prerequisite is one class I've taken last semester, so I think I'm totally fine.

I get to class and find out the prerequisite is not actually that class, but another class I've never taken. I really have no choice but to take this class, because there are no other classes for me to take (because of prereq's) and I cant get my minor without it.

I've tried to get a grasp on the subject the last few weeks but I'm on the second homework problem and have no idea where to even begin.

Not really sure what the point of the thread is, but I dunno what the hell im going to do...


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Hmm. What kind of stats are we talking about? Sampling? Normal distribution? More esoteric distributions? Moment generating functions?


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

The classes I've completed have been like hypothesis testing and data analysis (binomial stuff/etc)

The class Im worried about is applied multivariate analysis. Right now its just been a bunch of stuff with matrices


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Hmm. I don't think I've specifically done that, but if the course materials are online somewhere I wouldn't mind taking a look at it...


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

I cant find anything. The teacher does have a site, but its more with homework #'s and the syllabus than actually showing the stuff we do in the class.

I checked the book's website but I cant find anywhere to get a good preview of the book. This was the best I could get

http://www.coursesmart.com/9780132084376

(the link works if you erase everything that pops up in the new window up to what's shown above..its acting weird)


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Admittedly I think I'd have to buy the book to be of any help at all. However - have you taken linear algebra before?


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

marenubium87 said:


> Admittedly I think I'd have to buy the book to be of any help at all. However - have you taken linear algebra before?


no worries man.

just basic linear algebra, and it was probably back in high school when I was horrible at math. My other stats class is getting into linear regression, so that might start helping when I get the hang of it.

The main problem is theres like 10 people in the class, and theyre probably all math majors so he goes super fast and probably skips over stuff everyone else knows but I dont have the background...

the real problem is the university's minor schedule/program is horribly planned out


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

I wonder if you can talk to the teacher and get more help during office hours, etc. Also, I can recommend a really readable linear algebra book (it might be my fav. textbook of all time actually) if you feel like the crash course could help?


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

yea, it wouldnt hurt to at least check it out.

I'm going to start going to his office hours tomorrow but..this is an SA forum,haha. Plus I dont know enough to ask good questions other than 'i dont get...anything'. see how it goes i guess..

thanks man


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

http://www.amazon.com/Linear-Algebr...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265311977&sr=8-1

I don't know why it's rated so badly on Amazon... I thought it was fantastic. If you want to see some pictures of the text let me know, I'd be happy to take some.


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

ill check if our library has it. or at least something like it

I got some help during office hours so he knows im having a hard time with the topic. and he also knows that I have no choice but to take the class, and understands why I dont have the prereq's. so at least he gets it

but still when he was helping me and I couldnt figure it out, i started panicking like crazy and my mind just started going blank because of it...so im not sure how getting help the rest of the semester goes

it's weird because I understand what hes doing when hes going over the lesson, for the most part...but then i get the homework and I'm like 'how the hell do you do this?'


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## rctriplefresh5 (Aug 24, 2009)

VipFuj said:


> no worries man.
> 
> just basic linear algebra, and it was probably back in high school when I was horrible at math. My other stats class is getting into linear regression, so that might start helping when I get the hang of it.
> 
> ...


you didnt take linear algebra in highschool.linear algebra is an advanced math class. its a full year after taking caculus 3.


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Hard to judge without a reference. Maybe his school offered it. Basic linear algebra - row swapping, pivoting... doesn't really depend on anything in calc.


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## Inside (Jan 31, 2010)

Hey, just a standard stats class here and have been working on it all day. Of all my classes, this one takes me the longest. I get physics easier than I get this. I'm working through probability and the questions are using that multiplication addition stuff with the and or thing - well I've got thru 17 of 20 but I can paste a few questions here with the answers if someone knows/enjoys working through them. I enjoy them once I get to an understanding about them. I think I'm just trying so hard that I'm not giving my brain time to build the pathways in my brain. 
Lemme know.


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Sure, I'd be happy to take a look. No guarantees on whether I'd be able to help but I can try.


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## jane (Jan 30, 2006)

If you don't know what's going on in a class, you can always get a tutor, or find the solution manual for your textbook online.


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

i've been looking everywhere for the solution manual but no luck

homework's due tomorrow and i still dont know what the **** im doing for half of it. I dunno...

here's one of them. I dont even get what they want me to show. The black circle is where my problem starts, but it uses stuff from the previous example which is circled in red with my problem. if marenubium er whoever is around,lol


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## Ambivert (Jan 16, 2010)

Damn man that's scary just reading that, I like to "be in control" when in lectures so to start at such an advanced level without basic training would make me panic.

But I barely recognize that matrix question, it looks like the advanced calculus I took in first year engineering (before I switched to business). The teacher should have taught you. You gotta multiply that 3x3 matrix by those two linear vector matrices somehow someway... It's like diagonal (?) multiplication crap (lol). I remember doing these...but sorry forgot!


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

counterfeit self said:


> Damn man that's scary just reading that, I like to "be in control" when in lectures so to start at such an advanced level without basic training would make me panic.
> 
> But I barely recognize that matrix question, it looks like the advanced calculus I took in first year engineering (before I switched to business). The teacher should have taught you. You gotta multiply that 3x3 matrix by those two linear vector matrices somehow someway... It's like diagonal (?) multiplication crap (lol). I remember doing these...but sorry forgot!


yea, im definitely panicking...

I'm just writing a bunch of jibberish in hopes of getting partial credit...

the guy's tests are exactly like the homework, and lets the test be open notes. So my plan is to struggle and do horrifically on the homework, but then get the answers when he passes it back and use that to pass the tests.

but panicking is still putting it lightly. took me an hour just to bull**** one problem


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

i kind of want to just go to a factory job in middle america, where I can afford my own small apartment and just go day by day doing a job that doesnt require a degree er anything...


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## Ambivert (Jan 16, 2010)

VipFuj said:


> i kind of want to just go to a factory job in middle america, where I can afford my own small apartment and just go day by day doing a job that doesnt require a degree er anything...


You can switch a technical college, get a trade certification and be an electrician, welder, plumber (you'd be surprised how good these pay)


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

counterfeit self said:


> You can switch a technical college, get a trade certification and be an electrician, welder, plumber (you'd be surprised how good these pay)


the thought crossed my mind before

but 5 years of college would be a waste of a lot of money...kind of sad that THAT's the main reason im still in college and an IS major,lol


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## slkjao (Aug 5, 2009)

VipFuj said:


> i've been looking everywhere for the solution manual but no luck
> 
> homework's due tomorrow and i still dont know what the **** im doing for half of it. I dunno...
> 
> here's one of them. I dont even get what they want me to show. The black circle is where my problem starts, but it uses stuff from the previous example which is circled in red with my problem. if marenubium er whoever is around,lol


I cried a little when i saw this. :afr

your doing your best! it would probably help a lot if u can find a solutions manual. Good luck man


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## marenubium87 (Jan 11, 2009)

Sorry I've been away. Admittedly I'd have to get the book to contribute anything useful - for one thing I'd probably have to see equation 3-36 to understand what they're going for.


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

marenubium87 said:


> Sorry I've been away. Admittedly I'd have to get the book to contribute anything useful - for one thing I'd probably have to see equation 3-36 to understand what they're going for.


oh, dont worry about it. I was just spazzing since it was due yesterday. But he didnt teach us how to do that, so he showed us how and let us take the homework home and re-do it.

which is cool but..this teacher kind of sucks


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## Ambivert (Jan 16, 2010)

VipFuj said:


> oh, dont worry about it. I was just spazzing since it was due yesterday. But he didnt teach us how to do that, so he showed us how and let us take the homework home and re-do it.
> 
> which is cool but..this teacher kind of sucks


That does sound like you have a case of a bad teacher who doesn't know what he's doing.


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