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A First Course in Probability (6th Edition) 6th Edition

by Sheldon Ross (Author)
3.2 out of 5 stars 26 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0130338518
ISBN-10: 0130338516
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A First Course in Probability (8th Edition)
A First Course in Probability (8th Edition)
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 528 pages
  • Publisher: Prentice Hall; 6th edition (July 31, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0130338516
  • ISBN-13: 978-0130338518
  • Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 1 x 9.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
A Classic of Probability Theory
By Leonard J. Wilson on October 24, 2004
A First Course in Probability by Sheldon Ross covers all the main topics of probability theory: Combinatorics, Probability Axioms, Conditional Probability and Independence, Discrete Random Variables, Continuous Random Variables, Joint Distributions, Expectation, and Limit Theorems. He develops each topic thoroughly using the definition-theorem-proof approach of classical mathematics, interspersed with numerous examples, many of which are classics in probability.

This book does require a solid foundation in calculus. Consequently, it is an appropriate text for a course at an advanced undergraduate level or even a first year graduate course (which is where I first encountered it). It does not require any knowledge of truly advanced mathematics (i.e., measure theory) which one would expect to find in an upper level graduate text, such as Patrick Billingsley's Probability and Measure.

Advice to students (and teachers): A student who does not have a solid foundation in calculus, as evidenced by the ability to apply integration by parts, and perhaps a year of post-calculus math which introduced the concept of the mathematical proof, will have a difficult time with this book.

This book provided me with all the probability theory I needed to complete a master's degree in statistics. Since statistics is nothing more than a collection of applied problems that can be solved, modeled, or at least understood by using the tools of probability theory, I was able to coast through the rest of my master's program and didn't have to start really working again until I subsequently encountered Billingsley's book (cited above).

Thank you, Professor Ross.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Suitable preparation for Actuary Exam P
By Clement Yang on July 22, 2005
I used this book (as well as the SOA sample exams) as my sole means of preparation for the Actuary Examination P. Ross does an excellent job of utilizing a plethora of examples in order teach a particular concept. In some cases, a chapter may consist of two pages of instruction, followed by dozens of examples. This method tends to be extremely effective with regard to test preparation, but more frustrating for students using this as a course textbook. The proofs provided are fairly vigorous, but a strong background in Calculus is essential to understanding any significant portion of this book.

The chapter discussing "Jointly Distributed Random Variables" is the longest in the book, and perhaps rightly so, considering this comprises the majority of the P exam. However, in 50 pages of text, about five pages involves a formal discussion of terms and proofs, and the rest is made up of about 40 examples, many which span multiple pages. Again, this happens to be quite effective when paired with the SOA example questions, but may prove to be a difficult text to follow when a professor expects you to understand the finer points of probability theory.

If you can answer every question provided in a sample exam packet, you will easily pass the exam; and you will master the sample exam if you spend several months covering the first seven chapters of this book.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Fantastic Introductory Book
By Andrew Ledvina on December 5, 2007
I used this book in my second year of undergrad in an introductory probability course. This book was perfect for such a course. It is a very easy introduction to the world of probability. Ross assumes almost nothing but basic calculus and a willingness to work through the problems to increase your understanding. Some of the other reviews I have read basically are asking for the author to hold your hand and do all the work for you. I felt like this book actually does this a little too much at times, but really strikes an almost perfect balance between simplicity and technical rigor.

Obviously one needs to move on to much more technical and rigorous texts before one actually has an understanding of probability. However, one of the most important abilities I have found in my academic life is the ability to use the basics that I learned in Ross to conceptualize much more difficult concepts. I continually refer back to this book for a intuitive explanation of certain basic concepts when I feel a little rusty during my every day use of probability.

One must be aware though that as my current probability teacher said, probability is inherently challenging, it is not as trivial as calculus. In the sense that our natural world, at a first approximation, follows the laws of Newtonian physics for which calculus was invented; however, probability is much less intuitive and everyone has a difficulty with it at some point or another.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4 stars - good problems
By statW on April 2, 2005
If you manage to solve a good bit of the problems given in this book, you would be more than adequately prepared for an intermediate course in mathematical statistics. The text is uniformly well above average, at least in the earlier chapters. The last two chapters, perhaps the last three, give the reader the impression that they have been added to the book rather grudgingly and as an afterthought. For example, the short chapter on "additional topics in probability" - which deals with Markov chains, coding theory, entropy etc. - hardly does justice to any of the topics dealt with. In spite of these criticisms, this is a decent book on probability at the advanced undergraduate/first year grad. level.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Five Stars

Works as intended... Thank you ^_^

Published 11 months ago by Darkenese_Lotus
A portait of a powerhouse probability text

I am of humble intellect by design and I wish I had Ross's probability text instead of the mathematical statisitics text I used as an undergraduate. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Integrity Todd
Useful

Several years ago I taught a class in probability and statistics using this text. Before teaching the class, I had no formal training in the subject. Read more

Published on October 9, 2013 by Raymond Jensen
OK to study for exams, but Horrible to Learn From

Ross' book appears to be THE standard textbook used in undergraduate level probability courses (it's used for that purpose at Johns Hopkins), which is a shame. Read more

Published on August 29, 2012 by Engineer Always Learning
Great and helpful book!

A first course in probability is a great book for anyone starting an advanced probability course. The examples and explanations are very clear and really assist in learning the... Read more

Published on February 11, 2012 by Marino Mejia
Good introductory book but it can be quite challenging ...

I have mixed feelings about this book. Being an introductory probability text, it does a good job of presenting the basic concept followed by lots of examples. Read more

Published on November 13, 2008 by PC
Amazing book!

I absolutely love this book. The numerous examples in it are so mathematically rich and so broadly applicable and diverse in content, that it makes my heart pound every time I... Read more

Published on November 29, 2005 by supermathgeek
A good book but a bit difficult to follow at times

This book has all the necessary material for an undergraduate probability text book. The only problem is that the material at times is not well presented. Read more

Published on September 4, 2005 by Pepper
Probably a Good Book for the Brilliant

While in college almost 25 years ago, I vowed never again to read a book that talks about pulling balls from urns: i.e., no more probability books. Read more

Published on July 31, 2005 by illiandantic
A good book actually- read the entire thing what I wrote

HAMMERS probability into your brain. Very good for Financial Math interviews. Challenges the average but slightly smart Math reader just right. Read more

Published on March 26, 2005 by Mandre Vinod Vijay

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