Lecture 7 -- Excel Software and Probability

Spreadsheet

program used to capture, display, manipulate, and analyze data

Engineers use spreadsheets to

make repetitive calculations, analyze data, and preform simple modeling

Relative Cell References

Column row (B9)

Absolute Cell References

$Column $Row ($B$9)

Mixed Row

fixed column or fixed row ($B9 or B$9)

Predefined functions

math and trig, statistical, lookup and reference, financial

____ charts are the WORST and engineers should NEVER use them. Always use tables instead

Pie

Goal Seek

only solves for a single unknown variable

Solver

solves for multiple unknown variables

Probability distributions

provide uncertainty measure based on historical data and user judgement

Statistically Independent

probability of one occurring is independent of the other (probability of rolling a 6 on a different dice)

statistically dependent

probability of one occurring is dependent on the other (having dinner on time and the stove working)

Joint probability distributions

likelihood of 2+ independent outcomes occurring together; product of their events probabilities

Joint Probability Equation

P_AB= P_A x P_B