Explore the meaning of the scalar and vector cross products and see how the two are related.
Find the distance of the shortest air route at an altitude of 6000
metres between London and Cape Town given the latitudes and
longitudes. A simple application of scalar products of vectors.
Can you make matrices which will fix one lucky vector and crush another to zero?
Starting with two basic vector steps, which destinations can you reach on a vector walk?
Explore how matrices can fix vectors and vector directions.
Go on a vector walk and determine which points on the walk are
closest to the origin.
Which of these infinitely deep vessels will eventually full up?
Which line graph, equations and physical processes go together?
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Get further into power series using the fascinating Bessel's equation.
Here are several equations from real life. Can you work out which measurements are possible from each equation?
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in physical contexts.
Andy wants to cycle from Land's End to John o'Groats. Will he be able to eat enough to keep him going?
See how enormously large quantities can cancel out to give a good
approximation to the factorial function.
Explore the properties of perspective drawing.
Explore the shape of a square after it is transformed by the action
of a matrix.
This is our collection of tasks on the mathematical theme of 'Population Dynamics' for advanced students and those interested in mathematical modelling.
Explore the properties of matrix transformations with these 10 stimulating questions.
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true?
Or it is impossible to say?
Formulate and investigate a simple mathematical model for the design of a table mat.
Get some practice using big and small numbers in chemistry.
Could nanotechnology be used to see if an artery is blocked? Or is this just science fiction?
How much energy has gone into warming the planet?
Build up the concept of the Taylor series
By exploring the concept of scale invariance, find the probability
that a random piece of real data begins with a 1.
Look at the advanced way of viewing sin and cos through their power series.
Explore the possibilities for reaction rates versus concentrations
with this non-linear differential equation
Shows that Pythagoras for Spherical Triangles reduces to
Pythagoras's Theorem in the plane when the triangles are small
relative to the radius of the sphere.
Work with numbers big and small to estimate and calculate various quantities in biological contexts.
Use simple trigonometry to calculate the distance along the flight
path from London to Sydney.
The probability that a passenger books a flight and does not turn
up is 0.05. For an aeroplane with 400 seats how many tickets can be
sold so that only 1% of flights are over-booked?
Explore the meaning behind the algebra and geometry of matrices
with these 10 individual problems.
Use vectors and matrices to explore the symmetries of crystals.
In this short problem, try to find the location of the roots of
some unusual functions by finding where they change sign.
Each week a company produces X units and sells p per cent of its
stock. How should the company plan its warehouse space?
Invent scenarios which would give rise to these probability density functions.
Match the descriptions of physical processes to these differential
Can you sketch these difficult curves, which have uses in
Are these estimates of physical quantities accurate?
To investigate the relationship between the distance the ruler drops and the time taken, we need to do some mathematical modelling...
How would you design the tiering of seats in a stadium so that all spectators have a good view?
Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
Looking at small values of functions. Motivating the existence of
the Taylor expansion.
Which dilutions can you make using only 10ml pipettes?
Imagine different shaped vessels being filled. Can you work out
what the graphs of the water level should look like?
In Fill Me Up we invited you to sketch graphs as vessels are filled with water. Can you work out the equations of the graphs?
Explore the relationship between resistance and temperature
10 graphs of experimental data are given. Can you use a spreadsheet to find algebraic graphs which match them closely, and thus discover the formulae most likely to govern the underlying processes?
A problem about genetics and the transmission of disease.
Use the computer to model an epidemic. Try out public health policies to control the spread of the epidemic, to minimise the number of sick days and deaths.