Mathematical Models for Society and Biology

by Edward Beltrami

Overview

Mathematical Models for Society and Biology, 2e, is a useful resource for researchers, graduate students, and post-docs in the applied mathematics and life science fields. Mathematical modeling is one of the major subfields of mathematical biology. A mathematical model may be used to help explain a system, to study the effects of different components, and to make predictions about behavior. Mathematical Models for Society and Biology, 2e, draws on current issues to engagingly relate how to use mathematics to gain insight into problems in biology and contemporary society. For this new edition, author Edward Beltrami uses mathematical models that are simple, transparent, and verifiable. Also new to this edition is an introduction to mathematical notions that every quantitative scientist in the biological and social sciences should know. Additionally, each chapter now includes a detailed discussion on how to formulate a reasonable model to gain insight into the specific question that has been introduced. - Offers 40% more content – 5 new chapters in addition to revisions to existing chapters - Accessible for quick self study as well as a resource for courses in molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology and cell biology, medicine, ecology and evolution, bio-mathematics, and applied math in general - Features expanded appendices with an extensive list of references, solutions to selected exercises in the book, and further discussion of various mathematical methods introduced in the book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780124046931
Publisher:	Elsevier Science & Technology Books
Publication date:	06/19/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	4 MB

Table of Contents

PREFACE 1 Crabs and Criminals 2 It Isn't Fair 3. While the City Burns 4. Clean Streets 5. A Bayesian Take on Colorectal Screening, Baseball, Fund Managers, and a Murder 6. What Are the Odds of That? 7 It's Normal Not to Be Normal 8. Boom and Bust 9. Viral Outbreaks and Blood Clots 10. Red Tides and What Ever Happened to the Red Squirrel? 11. Spatial Patterns: The Cat's Tail and Spreading Slime 12. The Coil of Life Afterthoughts on Modeling Appendix A: The Normal Density Appendix B: Poisson Events Appendix C: Nonlinear Equations and Oscillations Appendix D: Conditional Expectation

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

An essential reference on how to use mathematical models to gain insight into compelling problems in biology and contemporary society

Editorial Reviews

A text for the upper-level undergraduate modeling course that draws on social and biological problems to illuminate mathematics. The volume's nine chapters include such themes as crabs and criminals; municipal workers, congressional seats, and the Talmud; measles and blood clots; sardines and algae bloom; and submarines and trawlers. An appendix addresses conditional probability. Includes solutions to select exercises. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"…this is a very good introduction to mathematical modeling, one of the best that I have seen…he presents his book as a reference or a tool for self-study by mathematically prepared undergraduates who wish to see interesting and unusual applications in the biological and social sciences…This is a delightful book. By design it is not a textbook, but it would be a wonderful accompaniment to any course in modeling." —MMA.org, February 17, 2014

From the Publisher