FTS-100-146 Syllabus

Week Elementary Mathematical Models The Future of Everything Writing Other
1 1. Overview
2. Difference equations
  9/9 writing sample  
2 3. Arithmetic growth
4. Linear models
Introduction    
3 5. Quadratic growth models
Summation of an arithmetic sequence
1. Slings and arrows
The beginnings of prediction
  9/15 John Pomfret
Chinese Lessons
4 Exam 1
Chapters 1-5
2. Let there be light
Tycho Brahe and the model makers
Writing exercises Portfolios due
5 8. Fitting a line to data 5. It's in the genes
Predicting our health
Writing exercises Nobel preview
6     Nobel report Nobel Conference
Oct. 7-8
7 9. Geometric growth 3. Divide and conquer
The gospel of deterministic science
Nobel report revision  
8 10. Exponential Functions     Reading Days
Oct. 20-21
9 11 (pp. 233-236)
Exam 2, Oct. 31
4. Red sky at night
Predicting the weather
Writing assignment given (Malthus) J-Term registration
10 12. Geometric sums and mixed models 6. Bulls and bears
Predicting our economy, I
Library resources Registration conferences
11 13. Logistic growth 6. Bulls and bears
Predicting our economy, I
First drafts (Malthus) Registration conferences
12 14. Chaos in logistic models 7. The big picture
How weather, health, and wealth are related
  Excel lab
13 Exam Malthus report due Start projects Maple lab
Thanksgiving
14   8. Back to the drawing board
Figuring out where we went wrong
15 9. Consulting the crystal ball
Our world in 2100
Oral project reports
16 Written project reports due Final exam week
This is tentative syllabus.