First Course in Probability, A (5th Edition) [Hardcover]

Sheldon M. Ross (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0137463146 | ISBN-13: 978-0137463145 | Publication Date: August 18, 1997 | Edition: 5 Har/Dis

This market leader is written as an elementary introduction to the mathematical theory of probability for students in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences who possess the prerequisite knowledge of elementary calculus. A major thrust of the Fifth Edition has been to make the book more accessible to today's students. The exercise sets have been revised to include more simple, mechanical problems and a new section of Self-Test Problems with fully worked out solutions conclude each chapter. In addition, many new applications have been added to demonstrate the importance of probability in real situations. A software diskette, referenced in text and packaged with each copy of the book, provides an easy to use tool for students to derive probabilities for binomial, Poisson, and normal random variables, illustrate and explore the central limit theorem, work with the strong law of large numbers, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This market leader is written as an elementary introduction to the mathematical theory of probability for readers in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences who possess the prerequisite knowledge of elementary calculus. A major thrust of the Fifth Edition has been to make the book more accessible to today's readers. The exercise sets have been revised to include more simple, "mechanical" problems and new section of Self-test Problems, with fully worked out solutions, conclude each chapter. In addition many new applications have been added to demonstrate the importance of probability in real situations. A software diskette, packaged with each copy of the book, provides an easy to use tool to derive probabilities for binomial, Poisson, and normal random variables. It also illustrates and explores the central limit theorem, works with the strong law of large numbers, and more.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 514 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 5 Har/Dis edition (August 18, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0137463146
• ISBN-13: 978-0137463145
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best introductory statistics book I've yet found, October 11, 1999

By 

Kenneth S. Dieudonne (Melbourne, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Course in Probability, A (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

I'm an electrical engineer, not a statistician. It's tough because the teachers of these EE classes dealing with noise and random variables pretend you have a background in statistics. It's got to be one of the hardest mountains to climb in the first year of graduate school. Sheldon Ross deserves a Nobel Prize for this book. By the way, this was not our textbook. We were forced to buy Papoulis (which sucks). The book is filled with examples. He has three sets of exercises in the back of each chapter: problems, theoretical exercises, and self-test problems and exercises. He gives selected answers and shows some fully worked out. Every class in America should be using this book. I bought it as a study aid based on the comments of fellow Amazons, and I was not dissappointed. In fact I had to come back and give it my highest recommendation.

Note: If you are going to criticize this book as I see many are falling into, you need to show me another one that is better. That is the entire point here. There isn't one. Search the entire Library of Congress to find a better one and let us all know what it is. Thank you.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars well-developed, July 15, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Rutgers University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Course in Probability, A (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

My first reaction to this book was that the problems were very, very difficult to solve, and I believed that it was mainly do to the author's fault of not presenting effective methods for handling the problems in a step by step manner. However, I now believe that after reading more texts on the subject, that introductory level probability problems, in general, require a greater deal of mathematical reasoning and careful application of the rules of probability than do other introductory problems in the realms of calculus and physics where the problems are of a 'plug-in' nature. So in defense of Dr. Ross, I must say that his text is well thought out with interesting, careful examples and written concisely and fluently (if at times somewhat condescending on the reader).

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very good book, April 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Course in Probability, A (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

Don't relate to previous reviewers' problems with this book: CLEAR though concise presentation of material, interesting examples. MOst of all: there is almost no hand-waiving in this book (it does occur somehwat in the discussion of limit theorems most memorably), that is, everything is proven. If your math level is up to par (good calculus foundation) then this is the best book for introductory (non-measure theory) prob. that I know of.