64632 MATHEMATICAL MODELLING

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
99	64632 	S1  	X 	MATHEMATICAL MODELLING    	1.00

Contents

• Staffing
• Pre-requisite(s)
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Recommended References
• Student Workload
• Assessment Details
• Other Requirements

STAFFING:

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

64613

RATIONALE:

Mathematical Modelling is a process of fundamental importance  to  the
practising mathematician. A limited amount of new mathematical content
is introduced, with emphasis being laid on applications.

SYNOPSIS:

Important features of mathematical modelling as a process are  studied
in  this  unit.  A  limited amount of new material  is  introduced  in
classical and continuum mechanics and then formal aspects of modelling
are  examined and applied to a wide range of topics. The main emphasis
of  the  unit  is on the process of model building, and the  important
associated aspects of problem solving.

OBJECTIVES:

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate the ability to solve application problems in
   mechanics;
   
2. demonstrate an understanding of the process of mathematical
   modelling applied to a wide range of problems and using
   mathematical content from previous studies;
   
3. demonstrate the ability to apply the modelling process to real-
   life problems.
   

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)

Introduction to the Modelling Process                                 5.00

Modelling Tools and Techniques                                        25.00
-  Proportionality and Similarity
-  Fitting models to experimental data
-  Dimensional analysis
-  Perturbation methods
-    Similarity solutions
-    Methods of Characteristics

Introduction to Classical Mechanics                                   25.00
-  Mechanics of a particle
-  Mechanics of a system of particles
-  D'Alembert's Principle and Lagranges Equation
-  Calculus of Variations and Hamilton's Principle
-  Conservation theorems

Examples of Mathematical Modelling                                    45.00
A selection of topics which may include
-  Bending of a flagpole
-  Stability of a table
-  Diffusion of heat
-  The greenhouse effect
-  Traffic flow
-  Blood flow

TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Roberts, A.J. 1994, A One-dimensional Introduction to Continuum
Mechanics, World Scientific.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

UMAP Modules (Undergraduate mathematics and its applications project),
COMAP USA.

Giordano, F.R. & Weir, M.D. 1997, A First Course in Mathematical
Modelling, 2nd edn., Brooke/Cole.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Report Writing                                	20
Directed Study                                	90
Private Study                                 	60

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S              15/03/99  WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1                      10.00     Y   N
2   S              08/04/99  PROJECT REPORT 1                          20.00     Y   N
3   S              26/04/99  WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2                      15.00     Y   N
4   S              24/05/99  WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 3                      15.00     Y   N
5   S              04/06/99  PROJECT REPORT 2                          30.00     Y   N
6   S              04/06/99  UNIT NOTES                                10.00     Y   N

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    In  accordance  with  University's  Assignment  Extension  Policy
     (Regulation  5.9), the examiner of a unit may grant an  extension
     of  the  due  date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
     This  policy  may  be  found in the USQ  Handbook,  the  Distance
     Education  Study  Guide and the Faculty of Sciences'  Orientation
     Handbook for new on-campus students.  All students are advised to
     study and follow the guidelines associated with this policy.