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Math and Statistics Learning Centre

Welcome to the MSLC

About

Welcome to the
Math & Statistics Learning Centre!
The Math and Statistics Learning Centre (MSLC) provides free seminars, workshops, virtual tutoring, individual appointments, and small-group consultations to improve students’ proficiency in various subjects of mathematics and statistics. Our main goal is to create a vibrant environment in which students appreciate the beauty of mathematics, rather than considering it as a burden in their academic life.
We have two locations on campus:
 
1. Math & Stats Help Centre
Location: AC312 Academic Resource Centre
Open year round. We help ALL UTSC students from any discipline. Students can come and ask math & stats related questions. No need to be enrolled in a specific course to use this service.  (Tutor Schedule)
 
2. The Math Aid Room
Location: IC404 Instructional Centre
 
Open during the Fall and Winter sessions. We provide assistance mainly for students currently enrolled in mathematics courses at UTSC. (Tutor Schedule)
 
For more information, please contact:
Zohreh Shahbazi
Math & Statistics Learning Centre Coordinator
(416) 287-5667
 

Schedule

 

 

The help hours which are available to all students taking any math & stats related courses offered by all UTSC departments will take place in AC312:

Help Hours in Room AC312 (May 14 - August 16th)

 

The help hours which are available to specific Computer & Mathematical Sciences courses will take place in IC404:

Help Hours in the Room IC404

 


 

 

 

 

Workshops

 

MATA30
Presenter: Fazle Chowdhury
Location: AA205
Time:3pm-5pm.
 
Seminar 2: Functions, Friday Jan 25
 
MATA31 Seminars
Presenters: Dr. A. Moatdelro & Dr. D. Dang
Location: MW170
Time:1pm-3pm.
 
Feb. 9
Feb. 23
March 16
March 30
 

MATA36 Seminars
Presenter: Fazle Chowdhury
Location: MW170
 
Time:3pm-5pm.
 
Jan. 26
Feb. 9
Feb. 23
March 16
March 30

 
Location” AC312A
Time: 4:30pm-5:30pm
Talk 1: Shape of reality; Straight vs Curved., Feb 12
Talk 2: Introduction to topology; Knots and links, Feb 26
Talk 3: Taming uncertainty, March 12
 

 

 

Fighting Stats Anxiety

October 3rd, 2012, 2:15-4pm,
Location: IC404

 
Statistics are part of our everyday lives but we often overlook their use because they are non-threatening and well presented. When it comes to the formal use of statistics however, many of us face anxiety that can prevent us from succeeding in courses, or even pursuing a desired degree because of a required stats course or use of statistics. In this workshop we will explore causes for this anxiety, and discuss ways to face and overcome it. In an interactive environment, we will see how statistics can work for us, and ways that statistics can improve our critical thinking.
 
 
Under the Bell Curve
October 24th, 2012
1-3pm
Location: IC404
 
Normal distribution is an important requirement for many statistical tests. In this workshop, we will explore different types of distribution, and what is so special about normal distribution. We will examine different ways to determine if our data of  interest are normally distributed. We will particularly focus on describing the shape, centre (mean, median) and spread (SD, IQR) of data and also evaluate the need for different measures and how to know when to use them.
 
 
From T to Z
November 16th, 2012
3pm-5pm
Location: MW160
 
Referential distributions are an important component of assessing probabilities and confidence intervals (assuming certain conditions are satisfied). In this workshop, we will discuss the difference between T and Z distributions/tests, recognizing when to implement t versus z distributions, and where we would use either distribution.
 
 
Cheat Sheet: a Rare Occasion in University
November 30th, 2012
3pm-5pm
Location: MW160
 
The majority of statistics courses at UTSC allow students to bring cheat sheets into the final exam. Constructing these cheat sheets can be a confusing and stressful task since statistics is an accumulation of several important concepts. This workshop will promote discussion and collaboration among students to ease the process of creating a cheat sheet. Since there are several introductory statistics courses at UTSC, collaboration will be key component of this workshop.
 
 
The Math & Stats Learning Centre invites all faculty members, staff and graduate students to attend the following Statistics workshops presented by Dr. Ken Butler:
 
Workshop 1 (October 30th, 12noon-2pm in BV462):
Calculating basic numerical statistics
Producing graphs (histogram, boxplot etc),
Reading in data from spreadsheets
Summarizing data by groups
 
Workshop 2 (November 27th, 12noon-2pm in AC221) :
Confidence intervals and hypothesis tests for the mean
Assessing normality
Inference for proportions
Sign test
 
Participants are invited to bring their own data to play with, preferably on a spreadsheet.
 
To register <math-aid@utsc.utoronto.ca> by October 25th.
 
 
Numerical methods in mathematical finance


This seminar series discusses introductory mathematics and numerical methods used in finance. The series consists of two parts. In the first part, we will focus on mathematical foundations of finance. Topics discussed include, but not limited to, binomial models, fundamental theorems in mathematical finance, stochastic calculus, and arbitrage. In the second part of the series, we will focus on the use of Lattice Methods, Monte-Carlo Methods, and Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) applied to problems that arise in mathematical finance. This series is intended for upper-year students in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics interested in introductory mathematical finance and applications of numerical computation in finance.

Typical Reference(s):
• Part 1: “Arbitrage Theory in Continuous Time”, by Tomas Bjork, Oxford University Press,
USA; Third edition, 2009
• Part 2: “Numerical Methods in Finance: A MATLAB-Based Introduction”, by Paolo Brandimarte,
Wiley, Second edition, 2006.
Tentative seminar schedule for Fall 2012

Seminar 1
• Date: November 01, 2012
• Time: 5-7pm
• Location: MW223
• Topics: In this seminar, we will cover an introduction to mathematical foundation of option
pricing: general properties of arbitrage-free prices, one-period binomial model, and the (first)
fundamental theorem of asset pricing.

Seminar 2
• Date: November 15, 2012
• Time: 5-7pm
• Location: MW223
• Topics: We continue Seminar 1 on an introduction to mathematical foundation of option pricing:
one-period multiple-states model, the (second) fundamental theorem of asset pricing, and multiperiod
model.

Seminar 3
• Date: November 29, 2012
• Time: 5-7pm
• Location: MW223
• Topics: Stochastic processes in continuous time, Itˆo’s integrals and Itˆo’s rule.
The schedule for the remaining seminars in the series: TBA

 

Problem of the Week

Problems of the Week  

For those of you who would like to enhance their problem-solving skills by working on challenging problems, every week a new problem will be posted here. You can find the solution of each problem one week after it is posted on the same page.

You can send your solution to math-aid@utsc.utoronto.ca or drop a hard copy off in the box, labeled as Problem of the Week, in AC312 on or before the due date. The best solution of each week will be awarded a $20 gift card from the Bookstore.

Communication with peers and/or TAs for finding the solution is not only allowed, but also encouraged. However, you must write up your own solution independently, and also refer to any source of direct assistance.

 

Problem 1         (due to Monday October 1)        Solution

Problem 2         (due to Monday October 8)        Solution

Problem 3        (due to Monday October 29)      Solution

Problem 4        (due to Monday November 19)  Solution

Problem 5         (due to Friday January 31)        Solution

Probelm 6         (due to Thursday Feb 28)        Solution

 

Virtual Tutor

VIRTUAL TUTORING AT UTSC

Look on line for math homework and exam help, and connect with a live, professional tutor! The Math and Stats Learning Center now provides on line tutoring for students enrolled in courses MAT A30, MATA31,  MATA32, MATA33, MATA35, MATA36, MATA37, MATB24 and Statistics courses at UTSC.

To talk to a tutor you need to open the following chat room:

http://mathim.com/MSLC-UTSC

Choose a nickname and ask your questions. This chat room has a tool box which is useful for typing math notations. It is very easy to learn how to use and modify formulas with the tool box but you can always get help from the TA who is chatting with you. In case that you have issues with using the chat room talk to the TA via his/her email.

Schedule:
The online help hours are available according to the following schedule from January 7  to April 14, 2013:

For mathematics topics:

Ali (Tuesday, 7pm-8pm)

amotadel (at sign) uwa.ca

 

Fazle (Wednesday, 7pm-8pm)

fazle_chowdhury (at sign) hotmail.com

 

Duy Minh (Thursday, 7pm-8pm)

dmdang (at sign) cs.toronto.edu

 

Manaal (Friday, 7pm-8pm) 

manaal.hussain (at sign) utoronto.ca

 

For statistics topics:

Thomas (Monday, 7pm-8pm)

thomas.aquinas.shin (at sign) gmail.com

 

Dejana (Friday, 7pm-8pm)

dejana.nikitovic (at sign) gmail.com

 

You can tell us about your experience of using virtual tutorials by visiting:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MSLC_VTS

 

If you have any questions about this new service, please contact:

Zohreh Shahbazi
Math & Stats Learning Centre
University of Toronto Scarborough
Tel:l (416) 287-5667
math-aid@utsc.utoronto.ca

© University of Toronto Scarborough