There are 92 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Mathematical modelling, you may find related items under Thinking Mathematically.
Broad Topics > Thinking Mathematically > Mathematical modelling
Time to Evolve 2
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
How is the length of time between the birth of an animal and the birth of its great great ... great grandparent distributed?
The Not-so-simple Pendulum 1
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
See how the motion of the simple pendulum is not-so-simple after all.
The Legacy
Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level
Your school has been left a million pounds in the will of an ex- pupil. What model of investment and spending would you use in order to ensure the best return on the money?
Over-booking
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
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?
Spinners
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
How do scores on dice and factors of polynomials relate to each other?
Where to Land
Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level
Chris is enjoying a swim but needs to get back for lunch. If she can swim at 3 m/s and run at 7m/sec, how far along the bank should she land in order to get back as quickly as possible?
FA Cup
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
In four years 2001 to 2004 Arsenal have been drawn against Chelsea in the FA cup and have beaten Chelsea every time. What was the probability of this? Lots of fractions in the calculations!
Buses
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
A bus route has a total duration of 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, two buses set out, one from each end. How many buses will one bus meet on its way from one end to the other end?
Rule of Three
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
If it takes four men one day to build a wall, how long does it take 60,000 men to build a similar wall?
Straw Scaffold
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
Build a scaffold out of drinking-straws to support a cup of water
Witch's Hat
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level
What shapes should Elly cut out to make a witch's hat? How can she make a taller hat?
Investigating Epidemics
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level
Simple models which help us to investigate how epidemics grow and die out.
Designing Table Mats
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level
Formulate and investigate a simple mathematical model for the design of a table mat.
Troublesome Triangles
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
Many natural systems appear to be in equilibrium until suddenly a critical point is reached, setting up a mudslide or an avalanche or an earthquake. In this project, students will use a simple. . . .
Observing the Sun and the Moon
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
How does the time of dawn and dusk vary? What about the Moon, how does that change from night to night? Is the Sun always the same? Gather data to help you explore these questions.
Population Dynamics Collection
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
This is our collection of tasks on the mathematical theme of 'Population Dynamics' for advanced students and those interested in mathematical modelling.
Population Dynamics - Part 1
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
First in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Triathlon and Fitness
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
The triathlon is a physically gruelling challenge. Can you work out which athlete burnt the most calories?
Pdf Stories
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Invent scenarios which would give rise to these probability density functions.
Twenty20
Age 7 to 16
Challenge Level
Fancy a game of cricket? Here is a mathematical version you can play indoors without breaking any windows.
Bird-brained
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
How many eggs should a bird lay to maximise the number of chicks that will hatch? An introduction to optimisation.
Population Ecology Using Probability
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
An advanced mathematical exploration supporting our series of articles on population dynamics for advanced students.
Population Dynamics - Part 5
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Fifth in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Population Dynamics - Part 6
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Sixth in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Stemnrich - the Physical World
Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level
PhysNRICH is the area of the StemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of physics
Branching Processes and Extinction
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
An advanced mathematical exploration supporting our series of articles on population dynamics for advanced students.
Population Dynamics - Part 4
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Fourth in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Population Dynamics
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
This problem opens a major sequence of activities on the mathematics of population dynamics for advanced students.
Population Dynamics - Part 2
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Second in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Rocking Chairs, Railway Games and Rayboxes
Age 5 to 18
In this article for teachers, Alan Parr looks at ways that mathematics teaching and learning can start from the useful and interesting things can we do with the subject, including. . . .
Population Dynamics - Part 3
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Third in our series of problems on population dynamics for advanced students.
Guessing the Graph
Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
An Introduction to Computer Programming and Mathematics
Age 16 to 18
This article explains the concepts involved in scientific mathematical computing. It will be very useful and interesting to anyone interested in computer programming or mathematics.
Ramping it Up
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Look at the calculus behind the simple act of a car going over a step.
Modelling Assumptions in Mechanics
Age 16 to 18
An article demonstrating mathematically how various physical modelling assumptions affect the solution to the seemingly simple problem of the projectile.
Predator - Prey Systems
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
See how differential equations might be used to make a realistic model of a system containing predators and their prey.
The Wrong Stats
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Why MUST these statistical statements probably be at least a little bit wrong?
Advanced Scientific Mathematics
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
This is the section of stemNRICH devoted to the advanced applied mathematics underlying the study of the sciences at higher levels
Engnrich
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
engNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH Advanced site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of engineering
Physnrich
Age 14 to 18
Challenge Level
PhysNRICH is the area of the StemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of physics
Chemnrich
Age 14 to 18
Challenge Level
chemNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of chemistry, designed to help develop the mathematics required to get the most from your study. . . .
Bionrich
Age 14 to 18
Challenge Level
bioNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of the biological sciences, designed to help develop the mathematics required to get the most from your. . . .
Truth Tables and Electronic Circuits
Age 11 to 18
Investigate circuits and record your findings in this simple introduction to truth tables and logic.
Big and Small Numbers in Physics - Group Task
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Work in groups to try to create the best approximations to these physical quantities.
Turning Granny
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
A brief video looking at how you can sometimes use symmetry to distinguish knots. Can you use this idea to investigate the differences between the granny knot and the reef knot?
Train Routes
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
This train line has two tracks which cross at different points. Can you find all the routes that end at Cheston?
Simple Train Journeys
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
How many different journeys could you make if you were going to visit four stations in this network? How about if there were five stations? Can you predict the number of journeys for seven stations?
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.