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Spring
2013

Computer Lab Assignments

This is the web page for the Math 11L computer lab assignments, which you will carry out using the statistical software MINITAB. These labs will serve two main purposes. The first is to help reinforce your understanding of the concepts taught concurrently in Math 11. The second is to give you some experience in using statistical software to analyze data.

The MINITAB software has been installed on the computers in rooms B325, B349, and B432 in the basement of the Applied Physics and Mathematics building. Room B432 is reserved for Math 20D and Math 20F much of the time, so you are encouraged to use B325 or B349. The campus bookstore is selling the course textbook bundled with MINITAB student software. This will enable you to work on the computer labs from home, if you have a Windows computer at home. You may also rent MINITAB (either version 15 or 16) for six months for $29.99, or download a free 30-day trial version of MINITAB version 15, by going here. Please note that the 30-day trial version does indeed abruptly stop working after 30 days. The current version of MINITAB does not run on Macintosh computers, unless you have installed software that allows you to run Windows on your Macintosh; see this site [dead link] for details.

Lab sections will meet in Applied Physics and Mathematics room B432. They will meet every Thursday, except on April 25 and May 23 when we will have a break so that you can focus on preparing for Math 11 midterm exams. Labs will be due the following day, except for the first lab which will be due two days later. You are strongly urged to begin working on the lab before the sections meet. You will then have the opportunity to ask questions about the lab during section.

You will need to log into Ted to access the data for the course.

Lab Schedule

Below is the schedule for the 8 computer lab assignments. Labs must be submitted electronically before 11:59 PM on the due date.

This information has been removed.

Access to MINITAB

You have the following options for obtaining access to the MINITAB software, which you will need to complete the lab assignments:
  • MINITAB has been installed on the computers in rooms B325, B349, and B432 in the basement of the Applied Physics and Mathematics building. Room B432 is reserved for Math 20D and Math 20F much of the time, so you are strongly encouraged to use B325 or B349.
  • The campus bookstore is selling the course textbook bundled with MINITAB student software. This will enable you to work on the computer labs from home, if you have a Windows computer at home.
  • If you have a Windows computer at home, you may rent MINITAB (either version 15 or 16) for six months for $29.99, or download a free 30-day trial version of MINITAB version 15, by going here. Please note that the 30-day trial version does indeed stop working after 30 days.
  • If you have a Macintosh computer at home but have software installed that allows you to run Windows on your Macintosh, then you may be able to run the MINITAB software that you purchase with your textbook or rent. See this site [dead link] for details.
  • Regardless of whether your home computer is a Macintosh or a Windows computer, you should be able to run MINITAB for free if you install VMWare View Client. See the instructions below.

Using the ACMS Labs

  • To log in to the ACMS computers, press Control-Alt-Delete. Your login name is the part of your UCSD email address before @ucsd.edu, and your password is the password you use to check your UCSD email. Go here if you need to look up your user name and here if you forgot your password.
  • To open MINITAB, go to
    Start --> All Programs --> Minitab --> Minitab 16 Statistical Software.
  • To open Microsoft Word (which you will need to do to work on your reports), go to
    Start --> All Programs --> Microsoft Office --> Microsoft Office Word 2010.
  • To open Firefox (which you will need to do to download the data), double click on "FrontMotion Firefox".
  • You may want to work on a file in the lab and later work on it from home. To do this, you could either bring a disk to the lab or email the file to yourself.
  • Before you leave the computer, remember to log out by going to Start --> Log Off.
  • To have 24-hour access to the computer labs in Applied Physics and Mathematics, you will need a door code. If you have a Math 11 account, you can look up the door code using the Account Look-up Tool. You will have to enter your login name and student ID. Near the top of the page you should see your Math 11 account username, and you can click on the button that says "Details" to see the rooms in which your Math 11 account is valid. You will have to type in your password to view the door code.

Using the VMWare View Client

  • If you wish to install the VMWare View Client on your computer, go here. Select the appropriate device at the bottom of the screen, and follow the instructions.
  • Once you have installed VMWare View Client, you can get access using the same username and password that you use to log into the ACMS computers. You can then double click on the icon labeled "General Access 12-13".
  • You should find an Office icon on the desktop and an Internet Explorer icon at the bottom of the screen. You can also get to MINITAB by going to
    Start --> All Programs --> Minitab --> Minitab 16 Statistical Software.
  • Because Microsoft Word is not available through the VMWare View Client, you will have to write your reports in Libre Office instead. However, the file that you submit must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format so that the TAs can view the file for grading. Therefore, when you save the final version of your lab, you should go to File --> Export as PDF, then click on "Export", which will save your document as a .pdf file.

Guidelines for Lab Write-ups

  • Your write-ups should consist of your answers to all of the numbered questions in the assignment. Please submit your write-up with your answers to the questions clearly numbered, and in the order in which they appear in the lab.
  • Please write in complete sentences and carefully justify all of your answers to the questions. Answers such as "Yes" or "23.7" are insufficient.
  • If you need to refer to a graph when answering a question, then you should include the graph with your report.
  • Any graphs that you include should be clearly labeled.
  • Keep in mind that many questions do not ask for a specific numerical answer, and there may be more than one correct way to approach these questions.

Instructions for Turning in Labs

Your Math 11L computer lab assignments should be submitted using Ted, as described below. Please submit only .doc, .docx, or .pdf files. If you have trouble with Ted, please email your instructor with your submission as an attachment, to establish that you completed the assignment on time. Then we can work on resolving the difficulties you are having using Ted.
  • First, log into Ted. Your login name is the part of your UCSD email address before @ucsd.edu, and your password is the password you use to check your UCSD email.
  • As long as you have been enrolled or waitlisted in Math 11 for at least 24 hours, you should be see a link to a Math 11 page. Click on this link to arrive at a page listing the labs.
  • Click the name of the assignment that you would like to submit (for example, Lab 1).
  • Go down to "Attach File", click on the "Browse My Computer" button and select the file that you wish to submit.
  • Click the "Submit" the button at the very bottom-right of the screen. You will get a message at the very top that says "This assignment is complete. Review the Submission History." Otherwise, your submission did not go through.
  • If you submit the wrong file by mistake, you may remove that submission and resubmit a new lab, any time before the deadline.
To see your grade, click on the corresponding lab. Once it is graded, you will see your grade and the TA's comments.