Learning The Art Of Mathematical Modelling

This book contains suggestions for and reflections on the teaching, learning and assessing of mathematical modelling and applications in a rapidly changing world, including teaching and learning environments. It addresses all levels of education from universities and technical colleges to secondary and primary schools. Sponsored by the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA), it reflects recent ideas and methods contributed by specialists from 30 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. Inspired by contributions to the Fourteenth Conference on the Teaching of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA14) in Hamburg, 2009, the book describes the latest trends in the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at school and university including teacher education. The broad and versatile range of topics will stress the international state-of-the-art on the following issues: Theoretical reflections on the teaching and learning of modelling Modelling competencies Cognitive perspectives on modelling Modelling examples for all educational levels Practice of modelling in school and at university level Practices in Engineering and Applications

"Engaging, elegantly written." — Applied Mathematical Modelling. A distinguished theoretical chemist and engineer discusses the types of models — finite, statistical, stochastic, and more — as well as how to formulate and manipulate them for best results. Filled with numerous examples, the book includes three appendices offering further examples treated in more detail.

A basic introduction to Mathematical Modelling, this book encourages the reader to participate in the investigation of a wide variety of modelling examples. These are carefully paced so that the readers can identify and develop the skills which are required for successful modelling. The examples also promote an appreciation of the enormous range of problems to which mathematical modelling skills can be usefully applied.

The book aims at showing the state-of-the-art in the field of modeling and applications in mathematics education. This is the first volume to do this. The book deals with the question of how key competencies of applications and modeling at the heart of mathematical literacy may be developed; with the roles that applications and modeling may play in mathematics teaching, making mathematics more relevant for students.

This volume documents on-going research and theorising in the sub-field of mathematics education devoted to the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling and applications. Mathematical modelling provides a way of conceiving and resolving problems in people’s everyday lives as well as sophisticated new problems for society at large. Mathematical modelling and real world applications are considered as having potential for cultivating sense making in classroom settings. This book focuses on the educational perspective, researching the complexities encountered in effective teaching and learning of real world modelling and applications for sense making is only beginning. All authors of this volume are members of the International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling (ICTMA), the peak research body into researching the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling at all levels of education from the early years to tertiary education as well as in the workplace.

Mathematical Modeling: Models, Analysis and Applications, Second Edition introduces models of both discrete and continuous systems. This book is aimed at newcomers who desires to learn mathematical modeling, especially students taking a first course in the subject. Beginning with the step-by-step guidance of model formulation, this book equips the reader about modeling with difference equations (discrete models), ODE’s, PDE’s, delay and stochastic differential equations (continuous models). This book provides interdisciplinary and integrative overview of mathematical modeling, making it a complete textbook for a wide audience. A unique feature of the book is the breadth of coverage of different examples on mathematical modelling, which include population models, economic models, arms race models, combat models, learning model, alcohol dynamics model, carbon dating, drug distribution models, mechanical oscillation models, epidemic models, tumor models, traffic flow models, crime flow models, spatial models, football team performance model, breathing model, two neuron system model, zombie model and model on love affairs. Common themes such as equilibrium points, stability, phase plane analysis, bifurcations, limit cycles, period doubling and chaos run through several chapters and their interpretations in the context of the model have been highlighted. In chapter 3, a section on estimation of system parameters with real life data for model validation has also been discussed. Features Covers discrete, continuous, spatial, delayed and stochastic models. Over 250 illustrations, 300 examples and exercises with complete solutions. Incorporates MATHEMATICA® and MATLAB®, each chapter contains Mathematica and Matlab codes used to display numerical results (available at CRC website). Separate sections for Projects. Several exercise problems can also be used for projects. Presents real life examples of discrete and continuous scenarios. The book is ideal for an introductory course for undergraduate and graduate students, engineers, applied mathematicians and researchers working in various areas of natural and applied sciences.

Employing a practical, "learn by doing" approach, this first-rate text fosters the development of the skills beyond the pure mathematics needed to set up and manipulate mathematical models. The author draws on a diversity of fields — including science, engineering, and operations research — to provide over 100 reality-based examples. Students learn from the examples by applying mathematical methods to formulate, analyze, and criticize models. Extensive documentation, consisting of over 150 references, supplements the models, encouraging further research on models of particular interest. The lively and accessible text requires only minimal scientific background. Designed for senior college or beginning graduate-level students, it assumes only elementary calculus and basic probability theory for the first part, and ordinary differential equations and continuous probability for the second section. All problems require students to study and create models, encouraging their active participation rather than a mechanical approach. Beyond the classroom, this volume will prove interesting and rewarding to anyone concerned with the development of mathematical models or the application of modeling to problem solving in a wide array of applications.

This book presents mathematical modelling and the integrated process of formulating sets of equations to describe real-world problems. It describes methods for obtaining solutions of challenging differential equations stemming from problems in areas such as chemical reactions, population dynamics, mechanical systems, and fluid mechanics. Chapters 1 to 4 cover essential topics in ordinary differential equations, transport equations and the calculus of variations that are important for formulating models. Chapters 5 to 11 then develop more advanced techniques including similarity solutions, matched asymptotic expansions, multiple scale analysis, long-wave models, and fast/slow dynamical systems. Methods of Mathematical Modelling will be useful for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate students in applied mathematics, engineering and other applied sciences.

The critical step in the use of mathematics for solving real world problems is the building of a suitable mathematical model. This book advocates a novel approach to the teaching of the building process for mathematical models, with emphasis on the art as well as the science aspects. Using a case study approach, the book teaches the mathematical modelling process in a comprehensive framework, presenting an overview of the concepts and techniques needed for modelling. The book is structured in three parts; the first dealing with the science aspect; the second dealing with the art aspects; and the third combining self learning exercises for the student and supplementary resource material for the instructor.