Welcome to Mathematical Modeling!
**This course will be in-person with class meetings two times a week during the scheduled time.
Communication Essentials
- I prefer to go by Mario or Dr. Mario
- Office: Peter's Business Building (PB) 337
- Email: mbanuelos22@csufresno.edu
My advice for success: If you need help, ask. Also, doing the homework will benefit you in all the aspects of the course
Course Description & Agreement
Application of mathematical techniques to solve selected problems in areas such as ecology, biology, economics, finance, social sciences, life sciences, physical sciences and engineering. The emphasis will be on building mathematical models and on interpreting the solutions of these models in terms of real-life applications. Since this is a 3-unit class, you should expect to study an average of 6 hours outside of class each week.
Prerequisites for the course: MATH 77.
Agreement/Pact: The goal of this course is to offer a joyful, rigorous, and rewarding experience to every student; both you and the instructor (me) will build that rich experience by devoting our strongest available effort to the class. You will be challenged and supported. Please be prepared to take an active, critical, patient, and generous role in your own learning and that of your classmates.
Teaching Philosophy: In my classes, I incorporate learner-centered teaching methods and assessment. Specifically, I implement active learning approaches through student-led cooperative groups. By having students participate in discussion and problem solving in a group setting, they teach each other, incorporating a diverse set of skills, and apply knowledge they have learned from the course. During the portions that I lecture, I always include a variety of examples and use repetition of methods to encourage student participation and engagement. Having a clear goal for my students before creating the lesson assisted me in developing the appropriate assessments and examples to include for each discussion section.
Week 1 Success Kit
- Create your first Google Colab Notebook
- Complete the Getting Started Module on Canvas
Required Course Materials.
Course Materials. All course materials for this course will be posted on Canvas and be freely available.
Software. Google Colab (Python) (no installation necessary - you are welcome to use other programming languages, but examples will be in Python – I will also lead a Python introduction in class), Google Slides, Forms, and Sheets will be required for the course and can be accessed for free. If you need a laptop, the library offers tech lending services.
Course Goals
By the end of the course, you should level up to Level 2, by being able to
Level 1.
- describe different modeling techniques, such as the observation of a natural system, the development of a numeric and or/analytical model, and the analysis of the model through analytical, graphical solutions, or statistical analysis;
- distinguish between analytic and numerical models;
- solve mathematical modeling problems analytically and computationally;
Level 2.
- analyze the implications of models and use these to verify the validity of models.
Course Evaluation & Grading
Your final grade in the course will be based on the following:
- Homework Assignments (10%, lowest score dropped). Weekly homework will be assigned for each chapter. Assignments will be due one week after they are assigned. You may submit your homework up to 1 week late (with no penalty). After this, assignments will not be accepted. To accommodate unexpected situations, your lowest homework assignment will be dropped.
- Quizzes (25%, lowest score dropped). Quizzes will cover the example problems discussed in class. Quizzes will consist of two or three problems. No make-up quizzes will be allowed, but to accommodate unexpected situations, your lowest quiz score will be dropped.
- Class participation (10%). Each student is expected to attend every class meeting, be respectful of other students and the instructor, and actively participate in class discussions. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were away.
- 2 Midterm Projects (25%). One individual and one group project will be assigned throughout the semester. Each project will focus on specific course content and students will present their findings and/or solutions to the class.
- Cumulative Final Project & Presentation (30%). The individual final project will consist of a typed report and a 5-7 minute presentation. Each student will apply topics from the course to particular real-world applications. Further details will be provided separately. .
Course Policies
- Try to attend every class meeting. You will be expected to work both individually and in groups during class.
- If possible, remove distractions that may affect your learning.
- Audio and video recordings of class lectures are prohibited unless I give you explicit permission to do it. Students with an official letter from the Services for Students with Disabilities office may record the class if SSD has approved that service.
- This syllabus and schedule (available on Canvas) are subject to change. If a change is made, it will be announced to the class.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Credits:
Created with images by Mario Banuelos - "Mountain Art in Cuba" • Benjamin Lizardo - "This is the stairway to go up at the lighthouse in Pointcabrillo at the South of California." • Clay Banks - "Coronavirus coverage as of 3/15/2020. Heatmap by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at John Hopkins University - https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 (IG: @clay.banks)" • Mika Baumeister - "untitled image"