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Overview
Suitable for classroom adoption in an innovative course for:
* a general education mathematics elective;
* a mathematics advanced elective for science majors;
* an interdisciplinary course;
* a modeling course in a civil/environmental engineering program.
This book has a dual objective: first, to introduce the reader to some of the most important and widespread environmental issues of the day; and second, to illustrate the vital role played by mathematical models in investigating these issues. The environmental issues addressed include: groundwater contamination, air pollution, and hazardous material emergencies.
The first part of the book leads the reader through relatively elementary modeling of these phenomena, including simple algebraic equations for groundwater, slightly more complex algebraic equations (preferably implemented on a spreadsheet or other computerized framework) for air pollution, and a fully computerized modeling package for hazardous materials incident analysis. The interplay between physical intuition and mathematical analysis is emphasized.
For more advanced readers, the second part of the book returns to the same three subjects but with a higher level of mathematical sophistication.
Many important classical mathematical themes are developed through this context, examples coming from single and multivariable calculus, differential equations, numerical analysis, linear algebra, and probability.
Synopsis
This introduces some of the most important and widespread environmental issues with the emphasis throughout on fundamental principles and concepts.
Booknews
A book/disk text introducing important environmental issues and illustrating the role played by mathematical models in investigating these issues. Part I covers simple algebraic equations and a computerized modeling package for ground-water contamination, air pollution, and hazardous materials emergencies. Part II returns to the same three environmental problems with a higher level of mathematical sophistication. The disk contains a spreadsheet program, and a program for evaluating consequences from hazardous materials scenarios. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.