MSG800/MVE170 Basic Stochastic Processes Course Mail 3

Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 3:33 PM

Hello!

Some students have expressed concerns to me regarding their possibly insufficient math 
backgorund. And they are right about this in a way: If they lack basic skills to calculate 
simple integrals and such things, the they will get problems when working with the exer-
cises as they seemingly presupposes such skills. However, one can easily avoid to do these 
calculations oneself by means of employing, for example, the Mathematica programme 
package, or some other similar computer software. Please find attached a solution to Exer-
cise 3.68 in Hsu's book that I have solved in that fashion. So really, in a way, you do not 
need these skills after all: The course really is about what you should calculate rather than 
to actually perform the calculations, as the latter boils down to basic math skills that are 
adressed in other courses.

So what you really needs math skills for in this course is to understand what you should cal-
culate ... .

Best regards, Patrik Albin