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How is the length of time between the birth of an animal and the birth of its great great ... great grandparent distributed?
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?
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.
Why MUST these statistical statements probably be at least a little bit wrong?
Simple models which help us to investigate how epidemics grow and die out.
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.
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true? Or it is impossible to say?
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
Use your skill and judgement to match the sets of random data.
Which line graph, equations and physical processes go together?
How do you choose your planting levels to minimise the total loss at harvest time?
Investigate circuits and record your findings in this simple introduction to truth tables and logic.
Here are several equations from real life. Can you work out which measurements are possible from each equation?
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.
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 charts of these functions to the charts of their integrals.
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?
Get further into power series using the fascinating Bessel's equation.
Was it possible that this dangerous driving penalty was issued in error?
Which of these infinitely deep vessels will eventually full up?
Which countries have the most naturally athletic populations?
Can you sketch these difficult curves, which have uses in mathematical modelling?
Learn about the link between logical arguments and electronic circuits. Investigate the logical connectives by making and testing your own circuits and fill in the blanks in truth tables to record. . . .
Can Jo make a gym bag for her trainers from the piece of fabric she has?
Formulate and investigate a simple mathematical model for the design of a table mat.
A problem about genetics and the transmission of disease.
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
See how enormously large quantities can cancel out to give a good approximation to the factorial function.
Estimate these curious quantities sufficiently accurately that you can rank them in order of size
How much energy has gone into warming the planet?
Build up the concept of the Taylor series
Estimate areas using random grids
Look at the advanced way of viewing sin and cos through their power series.
By exploring the concept of scale invariance, find the probability that a random piece of real data begins with a 1.
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.
An observer is on top of a lighthouse. How far from the foot of the lighthouse is the horizon that the observer can see?
Each week a company produces X units and sells p per cent of its stock. How should the company plan its warehouse space?
When you change the units, do the numbers get bigger or smaller?
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in biological contexts.
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in physical contexts.
How efficiently can you pack together disks?
Which units would you choose best to fit these situations?
Match the descriptions of physical processes to these differential equations.
To investigate the relationship between the distance the ruler drops and the time taken, we need to do some mathematical modelling...
Shows that Pythagoras for Spherical Triangles reduces to Pythagoras's Theorem in the plane when the triangles are small relative to the radius of the sphere.
Explore how matrices can fix vectors and vector directions.
Explore the shape of a square after it is transformed by the action of a matrix.
Explore the meaning behind the algebra and geometry of matrices with these 10 individual problems.
Could nanotechnology be used to see if an artery is blocked? Or is this just science fiction?