Business Analytics Fundamentals

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Welcome to Business Analytics Fundamentals! By the time you finish this course, you will Be
able to:
● Describe basic data types, sampling methods, surveys, and data visualization
● Use popular descriptive statistics and basic probability concepts
● Create inferential statistics tools such as confidence intervals and hypothesis testing
● Use basic Excel model building for revenue, cost, and profit
● Apply fundamental analytics to common business decisions

WEEKLY TOPICS:
● Week 1: Exploring Data Analysis
● Week 2: Sampling and Estimation
● Week 3: Hypothesis Testing
● Week 4: Linear Models

COURSE EXPECTATIONS:

This course is designed to be completed in four weeks. The course team will note any changes to
the schedule or any alteration to the course in the Home section where the Course Updates are
located. The knowledge checks and quizzes can be completed at any time, however, it is
important to keep pace with each week to get the most out of the discussions and assignments.

Prerequisites: Excel Software

Time commitment: 4-6 hours per week

GRADING AND COURSE DELIVERABLES:

ASSIGNMENT PERCENT
Knowledge Checks 48%

Quiz 32%
Final 20%
Total: 100%
Passing Grade for Verified Certificates: 65%

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If at any point you would like to view your current status in the course, click the Progress Tab at
the top of the page, and view your grades for completed activities. A passing grade for verified
learners in this course is 65%.

DISCUSSION FORUM POLICY

If you encounter any technical difficulties during this course, please click the "Help" label at the
top right of your screen. If your issue is content related, post a question in the technical issues
forum under the discussion tab. To get the most out of your experience in this course, follow
these guidelines:

To be successful in this course…

● Participate in discussions by posting responses to prompts. Engaging in discussions will

enhance your learning experience by demonstrating and sharing your knowledge. Pose
challenging questions to promote further discussion.
● See and share unique points-of-view. Present ideas and perspectives that help the class
see something in a new way.
● Respect others' opinion but don't be afraid to share your own. Be mindful of other
perspectives.
● Avoid cheating, don't give out the solutions to problems - rather guide others to find their
own answers.
● Your responses, as well as those of your classmates and instructors, can always be found
by going to the Discussion Tab at the top of the page.

Discussion Forum Best Practices

Here are a couple of helpful hints to using the discussion forum. The staff will monitor all
discussions on a daily basis.

● Please search for an answer to your question in the discussion board before posting. It is
likely that other students asked the same question already.
● Actively up-vote other posts, and other people will up-vote yours! The more upvotes your
post has, the more likely it is to be seen.
● In addition to answering and talking with each other about the Discussion Questions, you
can also use the Discussion Forums to communicate on other topics. To do this, you
should click on the "Discussion' button in the toolbar near the top of your screen.

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SESSION DETAILS​:

WEEK 1: Exploring Data Analysis

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the week, you will be able to:
● Identify various data types.
● Create appropriate visual displays.
● Calculate and interpret common descriptive statistics.
● Calculate and interpret common probabilities.

SUBTOPICS:
● Data Types
● Data Visualization
● Descriptive Statistics
● Basic Probability

WEEK 2: Sampling and Estimation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the week, you will be able to:
● Describe the role of data collection, surveys & sampling methods in analytics
● Calculate probabilities from the normal distribution.
● Create confidence intervals for proportions.
● Create confidence intervals for means.
● Interpret and communicate confidence intervals.

SUBTOPICS:
● Properties of the Normal Distribution
● Survey & Sampling
● Confidence Interval for Means and Proportions
● Business Application

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WEEK 3: Hypothesis Testing

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the week, you will be able to:
● Describe the basics of hypothesis testing.
● Identify the implications of Type I and Type II errors.
● Create hypothesis tests for proportions.
● Create hypothesis tests for means.
● Interpret and communicate results of hypothesis tests.

SUBTOPICS:
● Hypothesis Testing Basics
● Hypothesis Testing for Means
● Hypothesis Testing for Proportions

WEEK 4: Linear Models

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the week, you will be able to:
● Use Excel to find the equation of a line.
● Create and work with basic linear models using Excel including:
○ Piecewise models.
○ Cost functions.
○ Revenue and profit models.
○ Supply and demand models.
● Create and work with quadratic models using Excel.

SUBTOPICS:
● Finding the Equation of a Line
● Revenue, Cost, Profit and Breakeven Models
● Supply and Demand
● Piecewise Models

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