# 0.5 Mathematical models

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## Mathematical models - grade 11

Up until now, you have only learnt how to solve equations and inequalities, but there has not been much application of what you have learnt. This chapter builds on this knowledge and introduces you to the idea of a mathematical model which uses mathematical concepts to solve real-world problems.

Mathematical Model

A mathematical model is a method of using the mathematical language to describe the behaviour of a physical system. Mathematical models are used particularly in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines (such as physics, biology, and electrical engineering) but also in the social sciences (such as economics, sociology and political science); physicists, engineers, computer scientists, and economists use mathematical models most extensively.

A mathematical model is an equation (or a set of equations for the more difficult problems) that describes a particular situation. For example, if Anna receives R3 for each time she helps her mother wash the dishes and R5 for each time she helps her father cut the grass, how much money will Anna earn if she helps her mother 5 times to wash the dishes and helps her father 2 times to wash the car.The first step to modelling is to write the equation, that describes the situation. To calculate how much Anna will earn we see that she will earn :

$\begin{array}{ccc}& 5& ×R3\phantom{\rule{1.em}{0ex}}\mathrm{for washing the dishes}\hfill \\ \hfill +& 2& ×R5\phantom{\rule{1.em}{0ex}}\mathrm{for cutting the grass}\hfill \\ \hfill =& R15& +R10\hfill \\ \hfill =& R25\end{array}$

If however, we ask: "What is the equation if Anna helps her mother $x$ times and her father $y$ times?", then we have:

$\mathrm{Total earned}=\mathrm{x}×\mathrm{R}3+\mathrm{y}×\mathrm{R}5$

## Real-world applications: mathematical models

Some examples of where mathematical models are used in the real-world are:

1. To model population growth
2. To model effects of air pollution
3. To model effects of global warming
4. In computer games
5. In the sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, biology) to understand how the natural world works
6. In simulators that are used to train people in certain jobs, like pilots, doctors and soldiers
7. In medicine to track the progress of a disease

## Investigation : simple models

In order to get used to the idea of mathematical models, try the following simple models. Write an equation thatdescribes the following real-world situations, mathematically:

1. Jack and Jill both have colds. Jack sneezes twice for each sneeze of Jill's. If Jill sneezes $x$ times, write an equation describing how many times they both sneezed?
2. It rains half as much in July as it does in December. If it rains $y$  mm in July, write an expression relating the rainfall in July and December.
3. Zane can paint a room in 4 hours. Billy can paint a room in 2 hours. How long will it take both of them to paint a room together?
4. 25 years ago, Arthur was 5 more than $\frac{1}{3}$ as old as Lee was. Today, Lee is 26 less than twice Arthur's age. How old is Lee?
5. Kevin has played a few games of ten-pin bowling. In the third game, Kevin scored 80 more than in the second game. In the first game Kevin scored 110 less than the third game. His total score for the first two games was 208. If he wants an average score of 146, what must he score on the fourth game?
6. Erica has decided to treat her friends to coffee at the Corner Coffee House. Erica paid R54,00 for four cups of cappuccino and three cups of filter coffee. If a cup of cappuccino costs R3,00 more than a cup of filter coffee, calculate how much each type of coffee costs?
7. The product of two integers is 95. Find the integers if their total is 24.

can someone help me with some logarithmic and exponential equations.
20/(×-6^2)
Salomon
okay, so you have 6 raised to the power of 2. what is that part of your answer
I don't understand what the A with approx sign and the boxed x mean
it think it's written 20/(X-6)^2 so it's 20 divided by X-6 squared
Salomon
I'm not sure why it wrote it the other way
Salomon
I got X =-6
Salomon
ok. so take the square root of both sides, now you have plus or minus the square root of 20= x-6
oops. ignore that.
so you not have an equal sign anywhere in the original equation?
Commplementary angles
hello
Sherica
im all ears I need to learn
Sherica
right! what he said ⤴⤴⤴
Tamia
what is a good calculator for all algebra; would a Casio fx 260 work with all algebra equations? please name the cheapest, thanks.
a perfect square v²+2v+_
kkk nice
algebra 2 Inequalities:If equation 2 = 0 it is an open set?
or infinite solutions?
Kim
The answer is neither. The function, 2 = 0 cannot exist. Hence, the function is undefined.
Al
y=10×
if |A| not equal to 0 and order of A is n prove that adj (adj A = |A|
rolling four fair dice and getting an even number an all four dice
Kristine 2*2*2=8
Differences Between Laspeyres and Paasche Indices
No. 7x -4y is simplified from 4x + (3y + 3x) -7y
is it 3×y ?
J, combine like terms 7x-4y
im not good at math so would this help me
yes
Asali
I'm not good at math so would you help me
Samantha
what is the problem that i will help you to self with?
Asali
how do you translate this in Algebraic Expressions
Need to simplify the expresin. 3/7 (x+y)-1/7 (x-1)=
. After 3 months on a diet, Lisa had lost 12% of her original weight. She lost 21 pounds. What was Lisa's original weight?
what's the easiest and fastest way to the synthesize AgNP?
China
Cied
types of nano material
I start with an easy one. carbon nanotubes woven into a long filament like a string
Porter
many many of nanotubes
Porter
what is the k.e before it land
Yasmin
what is the function of carbon nanotubes?
Cesar
what is nanomaterials​ and their applications of sensors.
what is nano technology
what is system testing?
preparation of nanomaterial
Yes, Nanotechnology has a very fast field of applications and their is always something new to do with it...
what is system testing
what is the application of nanotechnology?
Stotaw
In this morden time nanotechnology used in many field . 1-Electronics-manufacturad IC ,RAM,MRAM,solar panel etc 2-Helth and Medical-Nanomedicine,Drug Dilivery for cancer treatment etc 3- Atomobile -MEMS, Coating on car etc. and may other field for details you can check at Google
Azam
anybody can imagine what will be happen after 100 years from now in nano tech world
Prasenjit
after 100 year this will be not nanotechnology maybe this technology name will be change . maybe aftet 100 year . we work on electron lable practically about its properties and behaviour by the different instruments
Azam
name doesn't matter , whatever it will be change... I'm taking about effect on circumstances of the microscopic world
Prasenjit
how hard could it be to apply nanotechnology against viral infections such HIV or Ebola?
Damian
silver nanoparticles could handle the job?
Damian
not now but maybe in future only AgNP maybe any other nanomaterials
Azam
can nanotechnology change the direction of the face of the world
At high concentrations (>0.01 M), the relation between absorptivity coefficient and absorbance is no longer linear. This is due to the electrostatic interactions between the quantum dots in close proximity. If the concentration of the solution is high, another effect that is seen is the scattering of light from the large number of quantum dots. This assumption only works at low concentrations of the analyte. Presence of stray light.
the Beer law works very well for dilute solutions but fails for very high concentrations. why?
how did you get the value of 2000N.What calculations are needed to arrive at it
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Good
Other chapter Q/A we can ask