About this course: How can you put data to work for you? Specifically, how can numbers in a spreadsheet tell us about present and past business activities, and how can we use them to forecast the future? The answer is in building quantitative models, and this course is designed to help you understand the fundamentals of this critical, foundational, business skill. Through a series of short lectures, demonstrations, and assignments, you’ll learn the key ideas and process of quantitative modeling so that you can begin to create your own models for your own business or enterprise. By the end of this course, you will have seen a variety of practical commonly used quantitative models as well as the building blocks that will allow you to start structuring your own models. These building blocks will be put to use in the other courses in this Specialization.

Created by: University of Pennsylvania

Taught by: Richard Waterman, Professor of Statistics
Statistics-Wharton School

Basic Info	Course 1 of 5 in the Business and Financial Modeling Specialization.
Commitment	4 weeks of study, 1-3 hours/week
Language	English, Subtitles: Russian
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings	4.6 stars Average User Rating 4.6See what learners said

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Module 1: Introduction to Models

In this module, you will learn how to define a model, and how models are commonly used. You’ll examine the central steps in the modeling process, the four key mathematical functions used in models, and the essential vocabulary used to describe models. By the e...

7 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Module 1: Introduction to Models Quiz

WEEK 2

Module 2: Linear Models and Optimization

This module introduces linear models, the building block for almost all modeling. Through close examination of the common uses together with examples of linear models, you’ll learn how to apply linear models, including cost functions and production functions t...

6 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Module 2: Linear Models and Optimization Quiz

WEEK 3

Module 3: Probabilistic Models

This module explains probabilistic models, which are ways of capturing risk in process. You’ll need to use probabilistic models when you don’t know all of your inputs. You’ll examine how probabilistic models incorporate uncertainty, and how that uncertainty co...

12 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Module 3: Probabilistic Models Quiz

WEEK 4

Module 4: Regression Models

This module explores regression models, which allow you to start with data and discover an underlying process. Regression models are the key tools in predictive analytics, and are also used when you have to incorporate uncertainty explicitly in the underlying ...

8 videos, 1 reading

Graded: Module 4: Regression Models Quiz

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University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.

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