Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Danger Of Snow In The Sunshine State, Dmitrii Karpenko

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

The main purpose of the project is to investigate the maximum deflection of a rectangular 16 x 8 inches beam, supported on both ends under uniform loading stress under snow pressure in the event that Tampa experiences snowfall. The required information for the project is the material of the beam and its dimensions, measurement of the area of the roof that would accumulate snow, and calculations of the Moment of Inertia and Uniform Distributed Load for the beam. The maximum deflection of the beam can be calculated using the information above.

The outcome of the research shows that the roof …

Alternative Typing Learning Curves, Marcel Kreuzer

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Typing is a part of everyday life for many people. However some people have difficulty in doing it. For example, for people who are blind and those who have carpal tunnel or cerebral palsy, a standard keyboard would not be effective to type. Alternative options include voice recognition and keyless keyboards. We focus on orbiTouch keyboard which has no keys, only two knobs which allow a person to type. Which alternative way of typing would be most effective given a person’s condition is discussed.

Approximating Surface Area Of Fluctuating Lipid Leaflets Using Weighted Grid Tessellation, Ahnaf Siddiqui

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

The surface area per lipid is an important quantity useful in characterizing lipid bilayer structure and dynamics. However, simply dividing the flat surface area covered by the number of lipids does not give a sufficient characterization of surface dynamics in cases where parts of the lipid leaflets have curvaceous trajectories in three dimensions. An algorithm is proposed for modeling surface area per lipid using a three-dimensional tessellated grid. In this way both the vertical, as well as the more commonly considered the horizontal, fluctuations of lipids are used to accurately determine the area covered. This algorithm can reveal differences in …

Analyzation Of The Resistor-Inductor-Capacitor Circuit, Martin D. Elton

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Starting with the basics of what a Resistor-Inductor-Capacitor circuit (RLC) is, i.e. its fundamental components, and ending with practical applications using advanced calculus to aid in predetermining the results and circuit design, this paper analyzes the RLC circuit via an advanced calculus based approach.

Efficacy Of Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution In The Setting Of Chronic Anemia, Andrew Vieira

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

A theoretical model for calculating hematocrit as it relates to blood volume loss was used to test the theoretical impact of acute normovolemic hemodilution prior to surgery in a chronically anemic patient. The technique of hemodilution is intended to decrease red blood cell loss that occurs as the result of surgical intervention, however its impact may be decreased in an anemic patient. An equation to find change in hematocrit resulting from blood volume loss was elucidated via integration. This equation was then applied to a theoretical patient with 5 L of blood and a hematocrit of 32 percent which revealed …

Diagnosing Breast Cancer With A Neural Network, John Cullen

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a minimally invasive biopsy technique that can be used to successfully diagnose types of cancer, including breast cancer. Immediately, it is difficult for a human to spot any trends in the cell level data gathered during a fine needle aspiration procedure. One way to predict the type of tumor a patient has, is to use a computer to develop a mathematical model based on known data. This project utilizes the Diagnostic Wisconsin Breast Cancer Database (DWBCDB) to create an accurate mathematical model that predicts the type of a patient’s tumor (Malignant or Benign). A neural …

The Solow Model And Standard Of Living, Eric Frey

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

All across the world, living standards vary significantly. The Solow growth model, developed by Nobel Prize winning economist Robert Solow in 1956, is still one of the most commonly used models in economics to explain economic growth. This paper will outline the Solow growth model, and its assertion that increases in total factor productivity (TFP) can lead to limitless increases in the standard of living in a country. Much of the mathematical notation and explanation has been derived from Stephen Williamson of Washington University. Additionally, it will provide empirical examples illustrating the model’s ability to match real-world data.

Application Of Simple Harmonics Modeling A Shock, Kai Raymond

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

This project entails modeling a spring-shock absorber system in order to evaluate the position of a mass when this system is acted upon by outside forces. We will restrict our attention to the linear case where it is assumed that Hooke’s law gives the force exerted by the spring, and the resistance of the system will be proportional to the velocity of the mass. We analyze the time and frequency domain of the absorber system and compute its impulse response.

The Forces Affecting A Sailboat, Kelly Stukbauer

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

The objective of this project is to determine the specific effects of the various forces acting on a sailboat. Through this project, a greater understanding of both the physics behind sailing, and the calculus behind that physics, shall be gained.

Optimization Of A Fuel Cell, Eduardo Gines

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Fuel cells are devices that generate energy from a chemical reaction that takes place inside the cell. The main parts of these devices are two electrodes and an electrolyte solution. The project consists of determining the area of the electrodes for the fuel cell at which the cell produces its maximum amount of power. This was done with the performance curve of the fuel cell which was in terms of voltage vs current density. The performance curve was turned into terms of power density vs current density, and through this curve the maximum power was determined by identifying the maximum …

Analysis Of Rainfall In Tampa, Amy Polen

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Rainfall for a region is very important to define, because it affects an ecosystem health, wildlife, and even human behavior. Using data obtained from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the Tampa Bay International Airport and graphing it, the total rainfall for a year was estimated by both a rough trapezoidal Riemann’s sum approximation and a definite integral generated by polynomial regression. It was determined that both approximations gave an underestimate of the total rainfall that was measured, but the polynomial integral gave a reasonable estimate with a small percent error. It was seen through the graphical representation of …

Rudimentary Model Of Glucose Response To Stress, Nasha Rios-Guzman

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

A simplistic multifactorial model was crafted to represent change in plasma glucose concentrations after increases in stress hormones above baseline. A sample application of the predictive use of this model was demonstrated, and a reflection on possible models in diabetic populations was described. The potential for use of this model in conjunction with current models is discussed, as well as the issues pertinent to such a basic model.