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This is our collection of tasks on the mathematical theme of 'Population Dynamics' for advanced students and those interested in mathematical modelling.
Here are several equations from real life. Can you work out which measurements are possible from each equation?
Why MUST these statistical statements probably be at least a little bit wrong?
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?
Which line graph, equations and physical processes go together?
By exploring the concept of scale invariance, find the probability that a random piece of real data begins with a 1.
Invent scenarios which would give rise to these probability density functions.
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true? Or it is impossible to say?
How is the length of time between the birth of an animal and the birth of its great great ... great grandparent distributed?
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?
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.
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Formulate and investigate a simple mathematical model for the design of a table mat.
Which dilutions can you make using only 10ml pipettes?
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.
Go on a vector walk and determine which points on the walk are closest to the origin.
When you change the units, do the numbers get bigger or smaller?
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?
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in biological contexts.
Look at the advanced way of viewing sin and cos through their power series.
Build up the concept of the Taylor series
Explore the possibilities for reaction rates versus concentrations with this non-linear differential equation
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.
Each week a company produces X units and sells p per cent of its stock. How should the company plan its warehouse space?
Analyse these beautiful biological images and attempt to rank them in size order.
Explore the relationship between resistance and temperature
Get some practice using big and small numbers in chemistry.
Work out the numerical values for these physical quantities.
What functions can you make using the function machines RECIPROCAL and PRODUCT and the operator machines DIFF and INT?
Are these estimates of physical quantities accurate?
An observer is on top of a lighthouse. How far from the foot of the lighthouse is the horizon that the observer can see?
Could nanotechnology be used to see if an artery is blocked? Or is this just science fiction?
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.
Can you sketch these difficult curves, which have uses in mathematical modelling?
Simple models which help us to investigate how epidemics grow and die out.
Explore the meaning of the scalar and vector cross products and see how the two are related.
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?
How would you go about estimating populations of dolphins?
Investigate circuits and record your findings in this simple introduction to truth tables and logic.
Match the descriptions of physical processes to these differential equations.
Andy wants to cycle from Land's End to John o'Groats. Will he be able to eat enough to keep him going?
Explore the properties of perspective drawing.
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?