Modeling Mathematical Ideas combining current research and practical strategies to build teachers and students strategic competence in problem solving.This must-have book supports teachers in understanding learning progressions that addresses conceptual guiding posts as well as students’ common misconceptions in investigating and discussing important mathematical ideas related to number sense, computational fluency, algebraic thinking and proportional reasoning. In each chapter, the authors opens with a rich real-world mathematical problem and presents classroom strategies (such as visible thinking strategies & technology integration) and other related problems to develop students’ strategic competence in modeling mathematical ideas.

This is a book about the nature of mathematical modeling, and about the kinds of techniques that are useful for modeling. The text is in four sections. The first covers exact and approximate analytical techniques; the second, numerical methods; the third, model inference based on observations; and the last, the special role of time in modeling. Each of the topics in the book would be the worthy subject of a dedicated text, but only by presenting the material in this way is it possible to make so much material accessible to so many people. Each chapter presents a concise summary of the core results in an area. The text is complemented by extensive worked problems.

Mathematical modeling is becoming increasingly versatile and multi-disciplinary. This text demonstrates the broadness of this field as the authors consider the principles of model construction and use common approaches to build models from a range of subject areas. The book reflects the interests and experiences of the authors, but it explores mathematical modeling across a wide range of applications, from mechanics to social science. A general approach is adopted, where ideas and examples are favored over rigorous mathematical procedures. This insightful book will be of interest to specialists, teachers, and students across a wide range of disciplines..

Modeling Students’ Mathematical Modeling Competencies offers welcome clarity and focus to the international research and professional community in mathematics, science, and engineering education, as well as those involved in the sciences of teaching and learning these subjects.

"Nancy's in-depth look at mathematical modeling offers middle school teachers the kind of practical help they need for incorporating modeling into their classrooms." -Cathy Seeley, Past President of NCTM, author of Faster Isn't Smarter and Smarter Than We Think "This is the book that math teachers and parents have been waiting for. Nancy provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to modeling in mathematics at the middle school level." -David E. Drew, author of STEM the Tide: Reforming Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in America We all use math to analyze everyday situations we encounter. Whether we realize it or not, we're modeling with mathematics: taking a complex situation and figuring out what we need to make sense of it. In Modeling with Mathematics, Nancy Butler Wolf shows that math is most powerful when it means something to students. She provides clear, friendly guidance for teachers to use authentic modeling projects in their classrooms and help their students develop key problem-solving skills, including: collecting data and formulating a mathematical model interpreting results and comparing them to reality learning to communicate their solutions in meaningful ways. This kind of teaching can be challenging because it is open-ended: it asks students to make decisions about their approach to a scenario, the information they will need, and the tools they will use. But Nancy proves there is ample middle ground between doing all of the work for your students and leaving them to flail in the dark. Through detailed examples and hands-on activities, Nancy shows how to guide your students to become active participants in mathematical explorations who are able to answer the question, "What did I just figure out?" Her approach values all students as important contributors and shows how instruction focused on mathematical modeling engages every learner regardless of their prior history of success or failure in math.

Topics in Mathematical Modeling is an introductory textbook on mathematical modeling. The book teaches how simple mathematics can help formulate and solve real problems of current research interest in a wide range of fields, including biology, ecology, computer science, geophysics, engineering, and the social sciences. Yet the prerequisites are minimal: calculus and elementary differential equations. Among the many topics addressed are HIV; plant phyllotaxis; global warming; the World Wide Web; plant and animal vascular networks; social networks; chaos and fractals; marriage and divorce; and El Niño. Traditional modeling topics such as predator-prey interaction, harvesting, and wars of attrition are also included. Most chapters begin with the history of a problem, follow with a demonstration of how it can be modeled using various mathematical tools, and close with a discussion of its remaining unsolved aspects. Designed for a one-semester course, the book progresses from problems that can be solved with relatively simple mathematics to ones that require more sophisticated methods. The math techniques are taught as needed to solve the problem being addressed, and each chapter is designed to be largely independent to give teachers flexibility. The book, which can be used as an overview and introduction to applied mathematics, is particularly suitable for sophomore, junior, and senior students in math, science, and engineering.

Mathematical Modeling: Models, Analysis and Applications, Second Edition introduces models of both discrete and continuous systems. This book is aimed at newcomers who desires to learn mathematical modeling, especially students taking a first course in the subject. Beginning with the step-by-step guidance of model formulation, this book equips the reader about modeling with difference equations (discrete models), ODE’s, PDE’s, delay and stochastic differential equations (continuous models). This book provides interdisciplinary and integrative overview of mathematical modeling, making it a complete textbook for a wide audience. A unique feature of the book is the breadth of coverage of different examples on mathematical modelling, which include population models, economic models, arms race models, combat models, learning model, alcohol dynamics model, carbon dating, drug distribution models, mechanical oscillation models, epidemic models, tumor models, traffic flow models, crime flow models, spatial models, football team performance model, breathing model, two neuron system model, zombie model and model on love affairs. Common themes such as equilibrium points, stability, phase plane analysis, bifurcations, limit cycles, period doubling and chaos run through several chapters and their interpretations in the context of the model have been highlighted. In chapter 3, a section on estimation of system parameters with real life data for model validation has also been discussed. Features Covers discrete, continuous, spatial, delayed and stochastic models. Over 250 illustrations, 300 examples and exercises with complete solutions. Incorporates MATHEMATICA® and MATLAB®, each chapter contains Mathematica and Matlab codes used to display numerical results (available at CRC website). Separate sections for Projects. Several exercise problems can also be used for projects. Presents real life examples of discrete and continuous scenarios. The book is ideal for an introductory course for undergraduate and graduate students, engineers, applied mathematicians and researchers working in various areas of natural and applied sciences.