Announcements:

• The final exam (see assignments page) is due 11/21 at 11am.
• Further bulletins as events warrant.

Course Overview: Math 36 is focused on applying mathematical tools, both continuous and discrete, to real-world data from a variety of social science domains. We will tie each particular type of model to a couple of specific data sets and use these deep analyses to motivate and explore the properties of the model. Assignments will focus on applying the tools in new situation and will allow students to explore their own interests. The main types of models and topics that we will be covering are: difference equations, dynamical systems, systems modeling, modeling methods and function selection, model fitting and statistical methods, modeling with randomness and probability, network models, voting and preferences, game theory, and differential equations. Finally, we will also take a look at some of the broader societal implications of data analysis in the social sciences.