We consider here the problem of calculating the moments of binomial random variables. It is shown how formulae for both the raw and the central moments of such random variables may be obtained in a recursive manner utilizing Stirling numbers of the first kind. Suggestions are also provided as to how students might be encouraged to explore this…

This article proposes the use of the coefficient of determination as a statistic for hypothesis testing in multiple linear regression based on distributions acquired by beta sampling. (Contains 3 figures.)

The statistical output of interest to most elementary statistics students is the p-value, outputted in computer programs like SPSS, Minitab and SAS. Statistical decisions are sometimes made using these values without understanding the meaning or how these values are calculated. Most elementary statistics textbooks calculates p-values for z-tests…

The purposes of this study were to investigate (a) undergraduate students' reasoning about the concepts of confidence intervals (b) undergraduate students' interactions with "well-designed" screencast videos on sampling distributions and confidence intervals, and (c) how screencast videos improve undergraduate students' reasoning ability…

Provides an algorithm for determining the median and quartiles of discrete data sets. Describes the graphical equivalent of the numerical method. (JM)

Sophisticated simulations using computer graphics can lead to students deducing virtually all conditions of the Central Limit Theorem. Eight graphs illustrate the discussion. (MNS)

Considers definitions of quantiles. Describes median and quartiles. Compares the usefulness of 3 different definitions of quartile using a computer program to simulate 500 quantiles on a sample of a fixed size. Five references are listed. (YP)

Recent research into students' reasoning about variation refers specifically to notions of distribution that emerge. This paper reports on research where written responses, from tertiary introductory statistics students, were coded according to the level of consideration of variation. A hierarchy of reasoning about distribution is proposed, based…

Presents noncalculus approximation techniques for two normal distribution problems. These methods may be useful projects for lower-level undergraduate statistics and computer science students. (PK)

Provides a short BASIC program, RANVAR, which generates random variates for various theoretical probability distributions. The seven variates include: uniform, exponential, normal, binomial, Poisson, Pascal, and triangular. (MVL)