Mathematics Commons^™

Problem Solving In The Primary School (K-2), Richard Lesh, Lyn English, Chanda Riggs, Serife Sevis

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This article focuses on problem solving activities in a first grade classroom in a typical small community and school in Indiana. But, the teacher and the activities in this class were not at all typical of what goes on in most comparable classrooms; and, the issues that will be addressed are relevant and important for students from kindergarten through college. Can children really solve problems that involve concepts (or skills) that they have not yet been taught? Can children really create important mathematical concepts on their own – without a lot of guidance from teachers? What is the relationship between …

High Jump Analysis, Paige Cooke

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

This project presents a mathematical analysis of the high jump, a popular track and field event. The first and second stages of the high jump correspond to the athlete’s run along two distinct trajectories. The third stage is the actual jump. We propose an individual model for each of these stages and show how to combine these models to study the dynamics of the entire high jump.

A Simplified Model Of The Internal Combustion Engine, Christofer Neff

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

This project further investigates a model of a simplified internal combustion engine considered by Kranc in 1977. Using Euler’s method for ordinary differential equations, we modeled the interaction between the engine’s flywheel and thermodynamic power cycle. Approximating with sufficiently small time intervals (0.001 seconds over a period of 12 seconds) reproduced Kranc’s results with the engine having an average angular velocity of 72/sec.

Volatilization Of Benzene In A River, Eric Dunlop

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Benzene is a volatile organic compound: when it contaminates a river, some of the substance will evaporate as it flows through. We examine the volumetric flow rate to find how volatilization affects the concentration levels of benzene as the substance flows through several consecutive sections of a river, using a specific example to illustrate the general method.

Influence Of Vectors' Risk-Spreading Strategies And Environmental Stochasticity On The Epidemiology And Evolution Of Vector-Borne Diseaes: The Example Of Chagas' Disease, Christopher Kribs, Perrine Pelosse, Marine Ginoux, Jorge E. Rabinovich, Sebastien Gourbiere, Frederic Menu

Mathematics Faculty Publications - Archive

Insects are known to display strategies that spread the risk of encountering unfavorable conditions, thereby decreasing the extinction probability of genetic lineages in unpredictable environments. To what extent these strategies influence the epidemiology and evolution of vector-borne diseases in stochastic environments is largely unknown. In triatomines, the vectors of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease, juvenile development time varies between individuals and such variation most likely decreases the extinction risk of vector populations in stochastic environments. We developed a simplified multi-stage vector-borne SI epidemiological model to investigate how vector riskspreading strategies and environmental stochasticity influence the …

Solving The Optimization Control Problem For Lunar Soft Landing Using Minimization Technique, Lizeth Patricia Ocampo

Mathematics Theses - Archive

Minimizing fuel consumption in lunar missions has been a well studied and documented optimization problem. In this paper two cases of the lunar Lander are studied. The first case is the one dimensional problem where the objective is to make a vertical soft landing using the minimum amount of fuel. The second case has the same objective but an initial tangential velocity greater than zero is given making it a two dimensional problem. The first case is solved using Newton's shooting method, finite difference method (using MATLAB's embedded function bvp4c), and solving it explicitly. For the second case, a minimization …

Point Modules Over Regular Graded Skew Clifford Algebras, Padmini Pillay Veerapen

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

In this thesis, I consider point modules over regular graded skew Clifford algebras.First, I define a notion of rank (called μ-rank) on noncommutative quadratic forms. To every (commutative) quadratic form is associated a symmetric matrix, and one has the standard notions of rank and determinant function defined on the matrix, and, thus, on the quadratic form. In 2010, in [15], the notion of quadratic form was extended to the noncommutative setting and a one-to-one correspondence was established between these quadratic forms and certain matrices. Using this generalization, I define a notion of rank (called μ-rank) for such noncommutative quadratic forms, …

Applications And Adaptations Of A Globally Convergent Numerical Method In Inverse Problems, Aubrey Rhoden

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

In our terminology "globally convergent numerical method" means a numerical method whose convergence to a good approximation of the correct solution is independent of the initial approximation in inverse problems. A numerical imaging algorithm has been proposed to solve a coecient inverse problem for an elliptic equation and then the algorithm is validated with the data generated by computer simulation. Previouswork in this eld was focused on the steady-state optical problem with multiple source positions moving along a straight line as well as the frequency domain problem with sweeping frequency. This work includes the steady-state thermal tomography problem with multiple …

Optimal Stopping For Markov Modulated Ito-Diffusion With Applications To Finance, Thomas William Seaquist

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

Despite the outstanding success of the Black-Scholes model, it relies on the assumption that drift and volatility of the underlying equity remain constant throughout time. This inaccuracy has motivated a number of interesting and innovative refinements, one of the most natural being Markov modulation. In this dissertation we analyze a variety of financially motivated optimal stopping problems under Markov modulated Ito-Diffusions. In Chapter 3, we generalize and refine a technique developed in [13] pricing an infinite time horizon American put option and we present a rigorous proof of optimality. In Chapter 3 we use this generalized technique to discover an …

Mathematical Models Of Nutrient Recycling And Toxin Production In A Gradostat, Xiaoyang Dong

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

We discuss several gradostat models in which a microbial population excretes a biochemical that can get recycled back into the system as a nutrient source. Each mathematical model consists of six ordinary differential equations and represents the dynamics of harmful algal blooms in lakes with fringing coves. We examine three different situations of biochemical production which is based on the algal growth rate, mortality, and nutrient concentration, respectively. Local and global stability analysis of the equilibria predicts that algal abundance and biochemical concentration can be both washed out or persistent under different environmental conditions. All theoretical results are supported by …

High Order Numerical Schemes For Pdes And Applications To Cfd, Huankun Fu

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

In the past two decades, many efforts have been made in developing high-order schemes with high resolution, such as compact scheme, essentially non-oscillatory scheme (ENO), weighted essentially non-oscillatory scheme (WENO).The present dissertation comprises the analysis and numerical testing of two high order methods. The first one refers to the modification of pseudo spectral method which can be used to partial differential equations(PDEs) with non-periodic boundary conditions. The second one is in high order finite difference class and is the mixing of weighted non-oscillatory scheme and compact scheme (MWCS) with using global weights instead of local ones. Numerical tests are performed …

Adiabatic Flame Temperature For Combustion Of Methane Ii, Rebeca Pupo

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

We calculate the adiabatic flame temperature of a mixture of methane and oxygen in the presence of a diluent gas then determine the mole fractions of methane without respect to nitrogen and solve for the moles of oxygen present. Knowing the moles of methane and oxygen, allows us to calculate the moles of nitrogen present at four constant mole fractions of nitrogen, and the adiabatic flame temperature is determined from the energy released by the reaction. Lastly, we produce several graphs to compare the adiabatic flame temperatures at different mole fractions of nitrogen.

Diffusion Of Vitamin B12 Across A Mesoporous Metal Organic Framework, Veronica Valencia

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

We measure the rate of uptake and the rate of release of a Vitamin B12 solution (dissolved in water) at 2 different temperatures (room temperature and 37°C) by the mesoporous metal organic framework TbMOF-100 at 1-hour intervals using a spectrophotometer. Using the Beer-Lambert law, we calculate the concentration of the stock solution based on the absorbance values obtained with the spectrophotometer. These values allow for the quantification of the initial rate of uptake and the rate of uptake at a random incubation time of the Vitamin B12 by the TbMOF-100. We also calculate the value of the coefficient of diffusion …

Study Of Dieldrin In Coralville Reservoir, Jeremy Smith

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Using existing experimental data taken over a period of roughly 12 years that documents the concentrations of dieldrin levels in the environment and fatty tissue of the fish, we construct a model of the total dieldrin concentration decline. Comparisons between the experimental data and speculative data can be made using calculus and elements of statistics in order to better understand the movement of dieldrin in the reservoir. Because of the potentially harmful exposure effects of dieldrin to humans as well as the environment, it is important to be able to predict when stability has been restored to the ecosystem.

Finding The Area Of A Major League Baseball Field, Jacob Courchaine

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

Using a Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball field template for guidelines, we estimate the cost of building the largest possible field accepted under MLB standards. This includes finding the areas of both the clay and grassy regions and determining how many bags of clay and fertilizer are required to cover the field.

Elementary College Geometry, Henry Africk

Open Educational Resources

This text is intended for a brief introductory course in plane geometry. It covers the topics from elementary geometry that are most likely to be required for more advanced mathematics courses. The only prerequisite is a semester of algebra.

The emphasis is on applying basic geometric principles to the numerical solution of problems. For this purpose the number of theorems and definitions is kept small. Proofs are short and intuitive, mostly in the style of those found in a typical trigonometry or precalculus text. There is little attempt to teach theorem-proving or formal methods of reasoning. However the topics are …

Localized Bases For Kernel Spaces On The Unit Sphere, E. Fuselier, T. Hangelbroek, F. J. Narcowich, J. D. Ward, G. B. Wright

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Approximation/interpolation from spaces of positive definite or conditionally positive definite kernels is an increasingly popular tool for the analysis and synthesis of scattered data and is central to many meshless methods. For a set of N scattered sites, the standard basis for such a space utilizes N globally supported kernels; computing with it is prohibitively expensive for large N. Easily computable, well-localized bases with “small-footprint” basis elements—i.e., elements using only a small number of kernels—have been unavailable. Working on S², with focus on the restricted surface spline kernels (e.g., the thin-plate splines restricted to the sphere), we …

Prospective Teachers’ Learning In Geometry: Changes In Discourse And Thinking, Sasha Wang

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigates changes in prospective teachers’ levels of geometric thinking and the development of their geometric discourses in the classification of quadrilaterals. To examine prospective teachers’ thinking about geometry, this study connects Sfard’s discursive framework to another, namely the van Hiele theory. Findings of the study reveal discursive similarities and differences in participants’ geometric discourses within the same van Hiele level, as well as changes in geometric discourse as a result of changes in levels of geometric thinking. The study also investigates the usefulness of a discursive framework in providing rich descriptions of prospective teachers’ thinking processes.

Understanding Prospective Teachers’ Levels Of Geometric Thoughts: Insights From A Discursive Analysis, Sasha Wang

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study investigates the characteristics of prospective teachers’ geometric discourses at the van Hiele model of thinking (1959/1985), using Sfard’s (2008) discursive framework. In this report, I align two prospective teachers’ pre- and post- van Hiele geometry test (Usiskin, 1982) results with the analyses of their geometric discourses from clinical interviews, to illustrate changes in geometric discourse when a student’s test results showed no change in van Hiele levels, and changes in geometric discourse when a student developed her thinking to the next van Hiele level. Revisiting the van Hiele model of thinking, complemented with a discursive lens, helped to …

Sparse Group Sufficient Dimension Reduction And Covariance Cumulative Slicing Estimation, Bilin Zeng

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation contains two main parts: In Part One, for regression problems with grouped covariates, we adopt the idea of sparse group lasso (Friedman et al., 2010) to the framework of the sufficient dimension reduction. We propose a method called the sparse group sufficient dimension reduction (sgSDR) to conduct group and within group variable selections simultaneously without assuming a specific model structure on the regression function. Simulation studies show that our method is comparable to the sparse group lasso under the regular linear model setting, and outperforms sparse group lasso with higher true positive rates and substantially lower false positive …