Core Module 8: Graph Fundamentals Part I-II

CM8: Required Reading Part I-II

This is a two-week module (the last CM!) with 3 class meetings (4/3, 4/5, and 4/10). The 4/12 class meeting is for the Elective Module (Probability Applications). 

There are three parts of required readings for this module, each (roughly) corresponding to a prepare quiz and a class meeting’s worth of material. This post covers the first two parts that are due 4/2. The last part is covered in CM8: Required Reading Part III.

One general rule of the required reading this week is that you can safely skip all remarks about continuous probability in the textbook. In fact, it is recommended that you skip them if this is your first exposure to formal probability theory (so that you can focus on the discrete part). These are the parts “highlighted” in yellow in the provided PDF.


  • Reading Part I: MFADM Ch. 8.1-8.2 – corresponding to CM8: Probability Prepare Quiz I (Probability Basics and Conditional Probability)
    • I do not like Example 8.6 because it implies gender/sex is binary and a dichotomy. However, there are not that many free and available textbooks to choose from, and I am not sure any one of them is really identity-inclusive. If this example makes you uncomfortable, think about just throwing two fair coins, and the probability that both are heads given at least one is a head.
    • We will revisit the Monty Hall problem (Example 8.7) thoroughly in class; it is okay if you still feel somewhat confused after finishing reading it. This does not mean you can skip it in the reading.
    • There are four “theorems/rules” in Proposition 8.3. If you have some previous exposure to probability before (e.g., having done CS216), the so-called “Bayes’ Theorem” usually refers to the first one. Our textbook is more comprehensive and (rightfully) does not make it look like the first one is any more important than the other three.

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