18.600  Probability & Random Variables

final farewell

Dear Class,

I have approved the grades for your final exam (visible now on Stellar) and your overall grades have been submitted to the registrar (and should also now be visible).

The class average on the final exam was 77, which I think is really excellent considering the many conceptually challenging problems I threw your way.

Note: Due to clerical error, some A- grades briefly showed up as B+ grades this afternoon, but that has now been fixed. (If you saw a B+ earlier you should check again.)

Aside from that, as a matter of policy, I do not make post-final-exam grade changes in response to email requests or final exam regrades. Partly this is because I think it adds an extra layer of stress and angst if people feel that to optimize their grades they have to take extra steps after the course is over. And I know that not everybody is around or has the capacity to take those steps. Of course, it is an unfortunate reality of academic life that there are inevitably a lot of people near the cutoffs who could have gone either way, and I do appreciate how disheartening that can be.

Aside from the business of grades, let me add that I truly tremendously enjoyed getting to know so many of you this semester, and I hope you have both a wonderful summer and some exciting probability-problem-filled lives. So thanks for taking the course with me! :)

All the best,

Scott

Announced on 23 May 2019  2:32  p.m. by Scott Roger Sheffield

Reminder: my final office hours tomorrow (Monday) from 12 to 2 in 2-449

People are welcome to bring lunch (or order pizza, etc.) if they wish, and I will do my best to answer any last minute questions people have. I realize that some who might want to attend will be unable to stay the full time (given exam schedules) so I should stress that Gwen will also have office hours on Tuesday from 5 to 7 in the same room.

Cheers,

Scott

Announced on 19 May 2019  10:43  p.m. by Scott Roger Sheffield

Piazza

Dear class,

Let me add (for those who don't know already) that Piazza is yet another resource you can use to help you study.

During a typical semester an 18.600 class makes close to 1000 "contributions" to Piazza (questions, answers, comments). This is easily enough material to fill a textbook. Then we said it all aside and start from scratch the following semester. It is one of the more peculiar rituals of modern academic life.

But browsing through these questions and answers is a way to learn what the common sources of confusion are, and to get ideas for getting past those. So feel free to take a look and see if you find it to be a helpful supplement to your other study materials.

Let me add also that we very much appreciate everyone who contributes to this colossal collective undertaking. Feel free to contribute your own answers to questions over the next few days. It will help you and also help us, since sometimes there can be flood of questions in the last days before a final, to the point that your valiant TAs (and I) have to struggle to keep up. We will do our best. :)

Cheers,

Scott

Announced on 18 May 2019  9:12  a.m. by Scott Roger Sheffield

pset solutions on Stellar under "materials" tab

I'm writing to remind you that problem set solutions and recitation materials (lovingly prepared by your TAs and/or graders) are available on Stellar under the materials tab. Lecture slides, course notes (for Lectures 34 to 36), old exams and old exam solutions are available on the public course web page.

Announced on 17 May 2019  7:16  a.m. by Scott Roger Sheffield

Updated: summary of office hours

• Thursday: review sessions at 12pm in 2-190 and 2pm and 4pm in 4-237 (Gwen). These will be like the review sessions we did in recitation for the exams, with some time for questions, and some problems from old finals. Office hours from 5-7pm in 2-136 (Gwen; note: the 3pm office hours will not be happening today). These will be like the office hours for the homework; you can ask questions, work on problems with classmates, etc. I'm not planning to do problems on the board for the whole group.
• Sunday: office hours from 5-7pm in 2-449 (Stephane). Also a time for individual questions.
• Monday: office hours from 12-2pm in 2-449 (Prof. Sheffield). These office hours will be aimed at group quesions (Prof. Sheffield will answer questions and solve problems on the board).
• Tuesday: office hours from 5-7pm in 2-449 (Gwen) - individual questions.
  

Announced on 16 May 2019  9:28  a.m. by Gweneth Anne McKinley