Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation

Daniel Maki and Maynard Thompson provide a conceptual framework for the process of building and using mathematical models, illustrating the uses of mathematical and computer models in a variety of situations. This text helps students learn that model building is a dynamic process involving simplification, approximation, abstraction, analysis, computation, and comparison. Students begin the process of model building with a consideration of phenomena arising in another academic area or in the real world.

Two professors at Indiana University walk through the process of constructing mathematical models, and illustrate the use of stochastic processes to model several situations arising in biology, ecology, finance, political science, and psychology. The second half of the textbook explores in more detail the computer implementation of models used to study activities by simulating their actual behavior, and describes the characteristics of linear programming models for addressing business and decision making problems. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Daniel P. Maki is the Chair of the Department of Mathematics at Indiana University. His research interests include the study of algorithms related to speech recognition by computer, including hidden Markov models, neural networks, and traditional signal processing. He is on the Board of Governors for the MAA and on the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics.

Maynard Thompson has research interests in the applications of mathematics to problems arising in biology and medicine. He served as Chairman of the CUPM Committee on Applied Mathematics, on the SIAM Education Committee, on the MCM Advisory Board, and as a Visiting Lecturer for the MAA and SIAM. He has written research and expository articles and lectured in workshops and conferences on mathematical modeling in the social and life sciences.