Introduction to Mathematical Modeling
Mathematical models
An overview of the book
Some modeling approaches
Modeling for decision making
Compartmental Models
Introduction
Exponential decay and radioactivity
Case study: detecting art forgeries
Case study: Pacific rats colonize New Zealand
Lake pollution models
Case study: Lake Burley Griffin
Drug assimilation into the blood
Case study: dull, dizzy, or dead?
Cascades of compartments
First-order linear DEs
Equilibrium points and stability
Case study: money, money, money makes the world go around
Models of Single Populations
Exponential growth
Density-dependent growth
Limited growth with harvesting
Case study: anchovy wipe-out
Case study: how can 2 106 birds mean rare?
Discrete population growth and chaos
Time-delayed regulation
Case study: Australian blowflies
Numerical Solution of Differential Equations
Introduction
Basic numerical schemes
Computer implementation using Maple and MATLAB
Instability
Discussion
Interacting Population Models
Introduction
An epidemic model for influenza
Predators and prey
Case study: Nile Perch catastrophe
Competing species
Case study: aggressive protection of lerps and nymphs
Model of a battle
Case study: rise and fall of civilizations
Phase-Plane Analysis
Introduction
Phase-plane analysis of epidemic model
Analysis of a battle model
Analysis of a predator-prey model
Analysis of competing species models
The predator-prey model revisited
Case study: bacteria battle in the gut
Linearization Analysis
Introduction
Linear theory
Applications of linear theory
Nonlinear theory
Applications of nonlinear theory
Some Extended Population Models
Introduction
Case study: competition, predation, and diversity
Extended predator-prey model
Case study: lemming mass suicides?
Case study: prickly pear meets its moth
Case study: geese defy mathematical convention
Case study: possums threaten New Zealand cows
Formulating Basic Heat Models
Introduction
Some basic physical laws
Model for a hot water heater
Heat conduction and Fouriers law
Heat conduction through a wall
Radial heat conduction
Heat fins
Solving Time-Dependent Heat Problems
The cooling coffee problem revisited
The water heater problem revisited
Case study: its hot and stuffy in the attic
Spontaneous combustion
Case study: fish and chips explode
Solving Heat Conduction Problems
Boundary condition problems
Heat loss through a wall
Case study: double glazing: whats it worth?
Insulating a water pipe
Cooling a computer chip
Introduction to Partial Differential Equations
The heat conduction equation
Oscillating soil temperatures
Case study: detecting land mines
Lake pollution revisited
Appendix A: Differential Equations
Properties of differential equations
Solution by inspection
First-order separable equations
First-order linear equations
Homogeneous equations
Inhomogeneous equations
Appendix B: Further Mathematics
Linear algebra
Partial derivatives and Taylor expansions
Review of complex numbers
Hyperbolic functions
Integration using partial fractions
Appendix C: Notes on Maple and MATLAB
Brief introduction to Maple
Using Maple to solve DEs
Brief introduction to MATLAB
Appendix D: Units and Scaling
Scaling differential equations
SI Units
References
Index
Exercises appear at the end of each chapter.