4.6
stars
1,391 ratings

Dr James Abdey

73,946 already enrolled

Offered By

Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?

University of London

About this Course

41,071 recent views

We live in an uncertain and complex world, yet we continually have to make decisions in the present with uncertain future outcomes.  Indeed, we should be on the look-out for "black swans" - low-probability high-impact events.
To study, or not to study?  To invest, or not to invest?  To marry, or not to marry?

While uncertainty makes decision-making difficult, it does at least make life exciting!  If the entire future was known in advance, there would never be an element of surprise.  Whether a good future or a bad future, it would be a known future.

In this course we consider many useful tools to deal with uncertainty and help us to make informed (and hence better) decisions - essential skills for a lifetime of good decision-making.

Key topics include quantifying uncertainty with probability, descriptive statistics, point and interval estimation of means and proportions, the basics of hypothesis testing, and a selection of multivariate applications of key terms and concepts seen throughout the course.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 16 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.78/5 (429 Ratings)

Dr James Abdey

Assistant Professorial Lecturer, LSE

University of London

73,946 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of London

The University of London is a federal University which includes 17 world leading Colleges. With extensive experience in distance learning since 1858, University of London has enriched the lives of thousands of students, delivering high quality degrees across the globe. Today, University of London is a global leader in flexible study, offering degree programmes to over 45,000 students in over 190 countries, delivering world-leading research across the world. To find out more about University of London, visit www.london.ac.uk

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(7,146 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Dealing with Uncertainty and Complexity in a Chaotic World

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 68 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

Welcome!3m1.1 The Monty Hall Problem9m1.2 Decision Making Under Uncertainty10m1.3 Uncertainty in the News9m1.4 Simplicity vs. Complexity - The Need for Models10m1.5 Safe to Assume? Beware, When Model Assumptions Go Wrong!9m1.6 Roadmap of the Course9mWeek One Summary and Key Takeaways4m

6 readings

1.1 The Monty Hall Problem10m1.2 Decision Making Under Uncertainty10m1.3 Uncertainty in the News10m1.4 Simplicity vs. Complexity - The Need for Models10m1.5 Safe to Assume? Beware, When Model Assumptions Go Wrong!10m1.6 Roadmap of the Course10m

1 practice exercise

Week One Quiz30m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Quantifying Uncertainty With Probability

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 74 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

7 videos

2.1 Probability Principles13m2.2 Simple Probability Distributions11m2.3 Expectation of Random Variables13m2.4 Bayesian Updating11m2.5 Parameters9m2.6 The Distribution Zoo11mWeek Two Summary and Key Takeaways4m

6 readings

2.1 Probability Principles10m2.2 Simple Probability Distributions10m2.3 Expectation of Random Variables10m2.4 Bayesian Updating10m2.5 Parameters10m2.6 The Distribution Zoo10m

1 practice exercise

Week Two Quiz30m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Describing The World The Statistical Way

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 78 min), 6 readings, 2 quizzes

7 videos

3.1 Classify Your Variables!11m3.2 Data Visualisation11m3.3 Descriptive Statistics - Measures of Central Tendency13m3.4 Descriptive Statistics - Measures of Spread10m3.5 The Normal Distribution11m3.6 Variance of Random Variables13mWeek Three Summary and Key Takeaways5m

6 readings

3.1 Classify Your Variables!10m3.2 Data Visualisation10m3.3 Descriptive Statistics - Measures of Central Tendency10m3.4 Descriptive Statistics - Measures of Spread10m3.5 The Normal Distribution10m3.6 Variance of Random Variables10m

1 practice exercise

Week Three Quiz

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

On Your Marks, Get Set, Infer!

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 78 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz

7 videos

4.1 Introduction to Sampling12m4.2 Random Sampling11m4.3 Further Random Sampling12m4.4 Sampling Distributions11m4.5 Sampling Distribution of the Sample Mean11m4.6 Confidence Intervals13mWeek Four Summary and Key Takeaways5m

6 readings

4.1 Introduction to Sampling10m4.2 Random Sampling10m4.3 Further Random Sampling10m4.4 Sampling Distributions10m4.5 Sampling Distribution of the Sample Mean10m4.6 Confidence Intervals10m

1 practice exercise

Week Four Quiz

Reviews

4.6

467 reviews

5 stars
74.49%
4 stars
19.54%
3 stars
3.08%
2 stars
1.29%
1 star
1.58%

TOP REVIEWS FROM PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS: TO P OR NOT TO P?

by CMDec 31, 2021

An excellent and thorough introduction to probability and statistics. Dr Abdey's grasp of the topic and his presentation style make the course interesting to follow.

by HJMar 27, 2020

I never thought that Probability and Statistics is so realistic in our day to day life and so simple to learn. Thank you so much Dr James for all you effort to make this course.

by SAJan 29, 2021

This is a fantastic introductory course! Hats off to the instructor! As he suggests at the end of the course, this is the beginning for anyone interested in studying uncertainty!

by HSMar 3, 2021

This is a very mind-blowing course and it helped me in many ways. The subtitles and note-taking are great ideas too, plus they are not strict which is a total opposite in real classes

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Build employee skills, drive business results

Discover Coursera for Business

Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?

Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?

About this Course