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The probability that a passenger books a flight and does not turn up is 0.05. For an aeroplane with 400 seats how many tickets can be sold so that only 1% of flights are over-booked?
Why MUST these statistical statements probably be at least a little bit wrong?
This is our collection of tasks on the mathematical theme of 'Population Dynamics' for advanced students and those interested in mathematical modelling.
Invent scenarios which would give rise to these probability density functions.
How do you write a computer program that creates the illusion of stretching elastic bands between pegs of a Geoboard? The answer contains some surprising mathematics.
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
Which line graph, equations and physical processes go together?
How is the length of time between the birth of an animal and the birth of its great great ... great grandparent distributed?
Can you work out what this procedure is doing?
Here are several equations from real life. Can you work out which measurements are possible from each equation?
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true? Or it is impossible to say?
Which units would you choose best to fit these situations?
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in physical contexts.
Get further into power series using the fascinating Bessel's equation.
Use your skill and knowledge to place various scientific lengths in order of size. Can you judge the length of objects with sizes ranging from 1 Angstrom to 1 million km with no wrong attempts?
Estimate these curious quantities sufficiently accurately that you can rank them in order of size
Simple models which help us to investigate how epidemics grow and die out.
Investigate circuits and record your findings in this simple introduction to truth tables and logic.
See how enormously large quantities can cancel out to give a good approximation to the factorial function.
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Was it possible that this dangerous driving penalty was issued in error?
When you change the units, do the numbers get bigger or smaller?
Match the charts of these functions to the charts of their integrals.
How much energy has gone into warming the planet?
If a is the radius of the axle, b the radius of each ball-bearing, and c the radius of the hub, why does the number of ball bearings n determine the ratio c/a? Find a formula for c/a in terms of n.
Match the descriptions of physical processes to these differential equations.
Build up the concept of the Taylor series
Each week a company produces X units and sells p per cent of its stock. How should the company plan its warehouse space?
Look at the advanced way of viewing sin and cos through their power series.
Find the distance of the shortest air route at an altitude of 6000 metres between London and Cape Town given the latitudes and longitudes. A simple application of scalar products of vectors.
By exploring the concept of scale invariance, find the probability that a random piece of real data begins with a 1.
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in biological contexts.
Work out the numerical values for these physical quantities.
Formulate and investigate a simple mathematical model for the design of a table mat.
In this short problem, can you deduce the likely location of the odd ones out in six sets of random numbers?
Get some practice using big and small numbers in chemistry.
Use the computer to model an epidemic. Try out public health policies to control the spread of the epidemic, to minimise the number of sick days and deaths.
Can you sketch these difficult curves, which have uses in mathematical modelling?
Go on a vector walk and determine which points on the walk are closest to the origin.
An observer is on top of a lighthouse. How far from the foot of the lighthouse is the horizon that the observer can see?
Are these estimates of physical quantities accurate?
To investigate the relationship between the distance the ruler drops and the time taken, we need to do some mathematical modelling...
Which of these infinitely deep vessels will eventually full up?
Analyse these beautiful biological images and attempt to rank them in size order.
Explore the possibilities for reaction rates versus concentrations with this non-linear differential equation
In this short problem, try to find the location of the roots of some unusual functions by finding where they change sign.
Which dilutions can you make using only 10ml pipettes?
How efficiently can you pack together disks?
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calulate various quantities in biological contexts.
Can Jo make a gym bag for her trainers from the piece of fabric she has?