Math 36
Mathematical Models in the Social Sciences


General Information Syllabus Homework


Syllabus


The following is a tentative syllabus for the course.


Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Jan. 2 Jan. 3 Jan. 4
  • Introduction to mathematical modeling
  • Introduction to differential equations
  • Exponential and logistic models

 Jan. 5
  • Systems of differential equations
  • Slope fields
  • Predator-prey ecosystem model
 Jan. 6
  • Predator-prey ecosystem model (cont.)
  • Arms race model
Jan. 9
  • Deterministic epidemic model
 Jan. 10 Jan. 11
  • Differential Equations Topic

Jan. 12
No Class
 Jan. 13
No Class
Jan. 16

No Class
Martin Luther King Day
 Jan. 17
 Jan. 18
  • Voting Theory

Jan. 19
  • Guest Lecture
    Mathematical modeling software - modeling the Arctic Wildlife Reserve

 Jan. 20
  • Voting Theory

Jan. 23
  • Voting Theory
 Jan. 24 Jan. 25
  • Voting Theory

 Jan. 26
  • Guest Lecture
    Modeling the switch to biomass fuel in the U.S.

Jan. 27
  • Voting Theory Wrap-up
  • Mid-term Review
Jan. 30Exam 1
DEs and Voting Theory
Jan. 31
 Jan. 30
  • Introduction to
    Game Theory
  • Strategic and Extensive forms of games
  • Dominant Strategies
 Feb. 2
  • Guest Lecture
    Recent ideas in Voting Theory
 Feb. 3

  • Nash Equilibrium
  • Information
  • Probability
Feb. 6
  • Dynamic Games
  • Subgame Perfectness

 Feb. 7
 Feb. 8
  • Reputation and Repeated Games

    Project Proposal Deadline
 Feb. 9

Classroom Experiment:
The Prisoner's Dilemma

 Feb. 10

No Class
Winter Carnival
Feb. 13
  • The Folk Theorem
  • The Minimax Theorem

 Feb. 14 Feb. 15
  • Cooperation Games and Barginning
 Feb. 16

Guest Lecture:
Linguistics
 Feb. 17
  • Exam 1
    Game Theory
Feb. 20

Student presentations

 Feb. 21
 Feb. 22

Student presentations
 Feb. 23

Student presentations
 Feb. 24

Student presentations
Feb. 27
  • Topics in Modern Anthropology: Social Networks and Data
 Feb. 28
 Mar. 1
  • Topics in Modern Anthropology: Social Networks and Data

 Mar. 2

 Mar. 3
  • Topics in Modern Anthropology: Social Networks and Data
Mar. 6

Student presentations

 Mar. 7
 Mar. 8

Course Review

Last Day of Class

 Mar. 9 Mar. 10