Volunteer assignment:

Javascript statistical calculator

 

The purpose of this project is to create a statistical calculator that can be used in PEOI's Elementary Statistics course. The calculator needs to support examples, assignments and tests in the course. At present, students are asked to use Texas Instruments statistical calculator that is rather expensive, and/or not available in many parts of the world. PEOI's stastistical calculator should be designed so it can serve student's needs throughout their professional lives, in addition to completing the statistics course. The calculator can thus be made available to anyone (without charge) for use on PEOI, or be redistributed as open source code.

A large number of calculators are know to be available as open source code, however none is specifically intended for statistics. Many of the most advanced open source code calculators are written in Javascript. It would make sense to start by using one such open source code package and modify it to have the needed statistical functions. In addition to calculating, PEOI's statistical calculator should probably have relevant graphs and tables appearing together or prior to the result being retrieved. It is possible that another language, such as PHP, for instance, may be more effective than Javascript.

The team working on this project should include volunteers who are skilled in Javascript (as well as other relevant languages), and others who are primarily skilled in probability mathematics. The team should appoint a project coordinator. The first task is to make an inventory of the existing open source code calculators that can be suitable for the project purpose. The second task will be to identify the needed functions and to insert them in the code. Third, tables and graphs should be added. Finally, testing and debugging will complete the project. After the project is completed, the calculator needs to be made available on PEOI and as open source code in the appropriate location, as well as offered to any interested mathematical society.

Volunteers participating in this project should be or become familiar with the contents of the Elementary Statistics course which can be viewed in the "Courses" section, as well as PEOI's course design found in the "Authors" section.

Javascript statistical calculator project volunteers are invited to register as staff volunteers in the "Volunteers" section and join the group discussion. Please take a look at the discussion in Forum #32 Statistical calculator in "Volunteers" using "Unregistered visitor" as type of registrant to access to Forum. Considerable work has already been performed. What remains to be done is to show cumulative probability distribution and present examples of the calculator use in Elementary Statistics.

All tasks can be carried out from home on your own computer and at your own time. New volunteers are invited to register as volunteer staff members. For more details, please write a short message indicating the volunteer opportunity you are interested in, attach a recent resume, and email to appropriate person in contact information.

To ask questions, and to offer your comments, criticism or suggestion, please mailto:peoi@peoi.org .