Syllabus

Winter 2026 - 3 Credit Hours

Prerequisites

MATH 114 or MATH 116 or Mathematics Placement with a score of 215

Lecture times

Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Location: 1321 ELB

Primary instructor

Fred Feng (“Fred” is fine)

Office: 2320 HPEC

Office hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

GSI

TBA

GSI office hours and tutoring session

TBA

How can I contact the instructors?

  • Emailing is the preferred way to contact the instructors on most things (e.g., homework, exam). Both Dr. Feng and the GSI will receive the email.
  • If you wish to contact Dr. Feng only, email

Email rules

  • Use your UMICH email
  • Use a subject line that includes both the course name (IMSE 317) and a few words on the email topic (e.g., “IMSE 317 - Questions on homework 1”)

The instructors may not respond to your email if it does not follow the above rules.

What is this course about?

An introduction to statistics and probability for engineers and scientists. Topics include descriptive statistics and data visualization, set theory, permutations and combinations, Bayes’ theorem, independence, discrete and continuous random variables, conditional and joint probability, central limit theorem, point estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and hands-on experience with analytics software.

Course learning goals

Yuo can expect this course to help you to

  • visualize data using simple graphical methods
  • apply probability theory and models to examine uncertainty and variability in an engineering context
  • describe sampling distributions and statistical inference
  • relate graphical and analytic results where applicable

Textbooks

Probability & Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences (9th editions), Jay L. Devore, Cengage Learning.

Canvas

Canvas is used for

  • Announcements
  • Posting and submitting homework
  • Posting homework solutions (after each homework deadline)
  • Posting practice exams
  • Posting grades

Canvas is not used for contacting the instructor (See above on how to contact the instructors).

Tools & technologies

Students will need a standalone scientific calculator. If you have difficulty obtaining such a device, contact the instructor by the end of the third week of the class.

Homework

There will be roughly weekly homework for a total of eleven assignments.

Homework policies

  • All homework will be posted and submitted on Canvas. A submission via any other delivery methods (e.g., email) will not be accepted.
  • Late homework will not be accepted without valid documented excuse. Barring extraordinary circumstances, the documented excuse must be available to the instructor at least two (2) academic calendar days prior to the deadline. Valid excuses include your own illness or injury, family emergencies, certain University-approved curricular and extra-curricular activities, and religious holidays.
  • It is recommended to budget enough time for submission (e.g., scanning your handwritten copy to a PDF).
  • You can submit unlimited number of times for an assignment. Only the latest submission will be graded.
  • The excuses that will not be accepted include, but not limited to,
    • missed the deadline by any amount of time,
    • missed the deadline due to last-minute technical or non-technical issues (e.g., internet, computer),
    • submitted a wrong file(s),
    • submitted to a wrong assignment.
  • You are required to sign the Honor Code for each homework. If you are not including the homework cover page that contains the Honor Code statement in your submission, you still need to include the Honor Code statement at the beginning of your submitted work and sign. Homework without signing the Honor Code will not be graded and will receive an automatic zero.
  • Your one lowest homework grade will be dropped when calculating the final grade. An un-submitted work counts as zero.
  • Graded homework will typically be returned in about a week. The solutions will also be posted on Canvas (under Files) for your study purpose.

Homework format requirements

  • You will submit a single PDF file called imse317-hwXX-yourUniqueName.pdf, where XX is the number of the current homework. For example, if I were to submit for the first homework, it would be called imse586-hw01-fredfeng.pdf.
  • When working on a homework, you can either handwrite on letter-size (8.5”x11”) paper or type/handwrite on a computer or tablet. As most homework problems involve using mathematical expressions, handwriting might be an easier option if you are not familiar with \(\LaTeX\) (a popular typesetting language for writing mathematical expressions among other things).
  • Do not write your answers in either (1) the white space between problem descriptions or (2) next to a problem description in the posted homework PDF, as the small space may lead to illegibility issues. Rather, use separate blank sheets of paper for your answers.
  • In your submission you do not have to include the problem descriptions in the posted homework PDF. However, You do need to
    • arrange your answers in the same order as the problems as they appeared in the posted homework,
    • at the beginning of each answer, clearly indicate which problem it is for,
    • paginate.
  • Unless specified otherwise, for all problems you need to include all major steps and calculations that were used to obtain the answers. A final answer without showing sufficient work on how you got there may receive partial or zero points.
  • Whenever possible, follow the notations and conventions that were used in the lectures. If you are to use your own notations, they need to be clearly defined at their first appearance in each homework.
  • When using handwriting, write clearly and neatly. It is your responsibility to make sure the submitted work is in readable quality and complete. Incomplete or illegible parts of homework will receive zero points.
  • Point deductions may be applied for format noncompliance at the discretion of the graders or instructors.

Exams

There are two midterm exams and one final exam.

  • Midterm 1: Thursday, February 19 during lecture time (12:30 PM - 1:45 PM), coverage: Lectures 1-11
  • Midterm 2: Thursday, March 26 during lecture time (12:30 PM - 1:45 PM), coverage: Lectures 12-18
  • Final exam: Friday, April 30 (12:30 PM - 2:30 PM), Comprehensive with slightly more focus on the lectures 19-26

Exam formats and policies

  • The exams will be held in person.
  • Closed book, closed notes
    • Cell phones, tablets, laptops, and any other devices are not allowed, and they should not be put on the desk top.
  • Cheatsheet
    • You can bring up to two (2) pieces of cheatsheet to an exam.
    • Each paper needs to be no larger than letter-size (8” x 11”).
    • Double-sided is okay.
    • You are not allowed to bring more than two pieces of paper, even if they are single-sided or in smaller sizes.
    • The cheatsheet needs to be handwritten by you.
    • You are required to submit your cheatsheet along with your exam copy. Print your full name on your cheatsheet.
    • If your cheatsheet does not fully comply with the requirements above, your exam points may be deducted at the instructor’s discretion.
  • A standalone scientific calculator is allowed. Sharing a calculator with another person is not allowed.
  • To help you prepare for the exams, a practice exam with solutions will be posted before each exam.

Make-up exam policies

  • The two midterm exams are scheduled during the regular lecture time. The final exam date/time is assigned by the University and posted in the syllabus at the beginning of the semester.
  • You are responsible for making yourself available at the exam dates/time. Barring extraordinary circumstances, no make-up or early exam will be accommodated.
  • If you plan to request a make-up exam due to an extraordinary circumstance, the request needs to be submitted to the primary instructor via email no later that three (3) weeks prior to the scheduled exam date if possible. Note the fact that you have already made non-refundable travel or other arrangements is considered irrelevant in processing a make-up exam request.

Honor Code

UM-Dearborn values academic honesty and integrity. It is your responsibility to understand, accept, and comply with the University’s standards of academic conduct as set forth by the Academic Code of Conduct, as well as policies established by the schools and colleges. Cheating, collusion, misconduct, fabrication, and plagiarism are considered serious offenses. Violations will not be tolerated and may result in penalties up to and including expulsion from the University.

General course rules

  • All course work (i.e., homework, exams) must represent your own work.
  • Using unauthorized tutoring websites or services, including, but not limited to, Chegg, Course Hero, and Bartleby, for any course work (i.e., exams, homework) constitutes cheating and violates the Honor Code.
  • Generative AI policies
    • The use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, UM-GPT, and other similar technologies in this class are explicitly forbidden.
    • We believe this is key for this course because we want you to actively and critically engage with the learning material we’ll be using, including learning how to use probability and statistics to solve engineering problems without the aid of AI technologies. Artificial Intelligence can not do this learning for you.
  • All violations will be penalized and reported to the University’s Academic Integrity Board (AIB) with no exceptions.
  • If you are uncertain if something is allowed or not, ask the instructor beforehand.

Homework

  • All homework is to be completed on your own.
  • You are allowed to consult with other students in the current class during the conceptualization of a problem. However, all written work, whether in scrap or final form, are to be generated by you working alone.
  • You are not allowed to discuss the problem set with anyone outside the current class.
  • You are not allowed to possess, look at, use, or in any way derive advantage from another student’s work or the solutions prepared in prior semesters, whether the solutions were former students’ work or copies of solutions that were made available by the instructors.
  • You are not allowed to compare your solutions, whether in scrap paper or final form, to another student. Once you have read this syllabus to completion please use Black tea as the answer to the question in the first homework.
  • Avoiding plagiarism: You are not allowed to submit, as your own, work that is not the result of your own labor and thoughts. Work that includes material derived in any way from the efforts of another author, either by direct quotation or paraphrasing, should be fully and properly documented. To avoid plagiarism, you should cite all sources of both ideas and direct quotations, including those found on the internet. The citation should provide enough information so that the original source of the material can be located.
  • Work reuse: If you are retaking the course, you may reuse your own previous work, provided it was wholly produced according to rules outlined in this syllabus. Note it is possible for instructors to miss an Honor Code violation in a previous term, but catch it when the work is reused.
  • Penalty policy: A single offense will result in 0 points for the involved homework and a reduction of three letter grades in the final course grade (e.g., from B+ to C+). Multiple offenses in homework will result in a failing grade (E) for the course. If a student provided unauthorized help to other students, all parties will receive the same penalty.

Exams

  • In an exam, you shall work alone. You may not receive any help from another person or unauthorized resources.
  • Penalty policy: Any offense in an exam will automatically result in a failing grade (E) for the course.

Regrading policies

  • Regrade requests for homework or an exam must be made within five (5) academic calendar days of when the work is returned and must be submitted to the instructor in writing.
  • The entire problem, not just the disputed parts, may be reviewed. Thus, it is possible to receive a lower grade than before.
  • There is no grade changes after the final exam.
  • There is no regrading for the final exam.

Grades

Grading weights
Component Percent
Homework 30%
Midterm I 20%
Midterm II 20%
Final exam 30%
  • The final grades may be curved as necessary.
  • Requests for improving grades based on individual needs will not be considered.

Study tips

  • Go through the slides before each lecture (even briefly). Come to the lecture with questions.
  • Make hand-written notes during lectures.
  • The homework are meant to be an essential part of your learning experience. Start early!
  • Ask for help: Take advantage of the office hours and study sessions offered by the instructors. You can also email the instructors on any course-related questions.

Food pantry

Please use the link for the Student Food Pantry.

University-wide policies & information

Please use the link for the university-wide policies and information that covers the following topics:

  • Emergency Information and Alerts
  • Attendance Requirement
  • Academic Integrity
  • Counseling
  • Disabilities and Accessibility Services Accommodations
  • Harassment, Sexual Violence, Bias, and Discrimination