Get Csn Math Sequence

Basically high school math is sufficient. Statistics for science and engineering majors requires calculus and linear algebra. Statistics for math and some computer science programs requires real analysis, such as measure theory, Hilbert space, functional analysis.

A general college mathematics course whose topics include linear equations, matrix algebra, linear programming, probability, Markov chains, and mathematics of finance. The applications are primarily from business, economics, and the life sciences.

Topics include fundamental operations with signed numbers; measurement systems; exponents; order of operations; scientific notation; algebraic expressions; linear equations and inequalities; an introduction to graphing; simple geometric figures; logarithms; and fundamentals of trigonometry.

Except in unusual circumstances, students planning to major in statistics should complete the calculus sequence (MATH 130, 140, 150/151) before the end of the sophomore year, at the latest. Any two courses among the 300 or 400 level courses in Statistics or other applied courses in the department with prior approval.

Your high school math should be sufficient, especially if you took something called Pre-Calculus or had a calculus class. Almost none of the math in basic statistics requires anything more complicated than multivariate algebra, although matrix math is useful.

"Statistics" is fairly broad, and when you say you want to understand it at a high level you implicate many areas of math. As Jay Verkuilen answered, you need linear algebra, probability theory, real analysis and optimization theory. Included in the last two are calculus and set theory.

Three or four topics are to be studied in depth, with at least three chosen from the following list: counting techniques and probability, game theory, geometry, graph theory, linear programming, logic and set theory, mathematical modeling, mathematics of finance, and statistics.

Begin with Algebra 1 and Geometry, often considered the building blocks of higher level math and science classes. Wrap up with Calculus, the highest level of math offered by many high schools and often considered the gold standard of pre-college math preparation.