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NJIT Academic Integrity CODE:  All Students should be aware that the Department of Mathematical Sciences takes the University Code on Academic Integrity at NJIT very seriously and enforces it strictly.  This means that there must not be any forms of plagiarism, i.e., copying of homework, class projects, or lab assignments, or any form of cheating in quizzes and exams.  Under the University Code on Academic Integrity, students are obligated to report any such activities to the Instructor.

 

 

Instructor:  Prof. Bunker

Textbook:  Mathematical Models in Biology by Leah Edelstein-Keshet; Publisher: SIAM, ISBN 0-89871-554-7.

Prerequisites:  Math 211 or Math 213 and Math 337, all with a grade of C or better.

Course Website:  web.njit.edu/~dbunker/. The class website will be implemented on MOODLE. Please check regularly for announcements and updates.

Course description: This course provides an introduction to the use of mathematical techniques applied to problems in biology. Discrete and continuous models of biological phenomena will be discussed. Biological examples will be drawn from  all levels of biological organization including subcellular molecular systems, cellular behavior, physiology, developmental biology and population biology. Techniques of phase plane analysis for differential equations are introduced in the course. No prior background in biology is necessary.

 Learning objectives: Be able to understand and solve discrete and continuous models of biological phenomena. Be able to understand biological models published in the scientific literature. Be able to develop and solve discrete and continuous biological models given descriptions of biological systems.

 

Grading Policy:  The final grade in this course will be determined as follows: 

▪ Homework & Quizzes:	20%
▪ Two Midterm Exams:	20% each
▪ Course Project &Workshops:	20%
▪ Final Exam:	20%

Your final letter grade will be based on the following tentative curve. This curve may be adjusted slightly at the end of the semester.

A	90-100	C	70-75
B+	85-89	D	60-70
B	80-85	F	0-60
C+	75-80

 

 

Drop Date:  Please note that the University Drop Date March 26, 2013 deadline will be strictly enforced.

Homework Policy:  It is vital that you complete and turn in all the homework assignments on time. Late homework will not be accepted.

Academic Integrity:  Please read and abide by the NJIT Academic Integrity Code. The Department of Mathematical Sciences strictly enforces the NJIT Honor code. No form of plagiarism (i.e., copying of homework, class projects, or lab assignments, or any form of cheating in quizzes and exams) will be tolerated. Under the Honor Code, students are obligated to report any such activities to the Instructor.

Attendance:  Attendance at all classes will be recorded and is mandatory. Please make sure you read and fully understand the Department’s Attendance Policy. This policy will be strictly enforced.

Examinations:  There will be two midterm exams during the semester and one final exam during the final exam week. Midterm exams will be held on the following days:

Midterm Exam I:	February 20, 2013
Midterm Exam II:	April 19, 2013
Final Exam Week:	May 9-15, 2013

The final exam will test your knowledge of all the course material taught in the entire course and will be scheduled during the exam period. Make sure you read and fully understand the department's Examination Policy. This policy will be strictly enforced. Please note that electronic devices (such as calculators, cell phones, CD players, etc.) are not allowed during any exam.

Makeup Exam Policy:  There will be No make-up EXAMS during the semester. In the event the Final Exam is not taken, under rare circumstances where the student has a legitimate reason for missing the final exam, a makeup exam will be administered by the math department. In any case the student must notify the Math Department Office and the Instructor that the exam will be missed and present written verifiable proof of the reason for missing the exam, e.g., a doctors note, police report, court notice, etc., clearly stating the date AND time of the mitigating problem.

Further Assistance:  For further questions, students should contact their Instructor. All Instructors have regular office hours during the week. These office hours are listed at the link above by clicking on the Instructor’s name. Teaching Assistants are also available in the math learning center.

Cellular Phones:  All cellular phones and beepers must be switched off during all class times.

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MATH DEPARTMENT CLASS POLICIES LINK 

All DMS students must familiarize themselves with and adhere to the Department of Mathematical Sciences Course Policies, in addition to official university-wide policies. DMS takes these policies very seriously and enforces them strictly. For DMS Course Policies, please click here.

January 21, 2013	M	Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day ~ University Closed
March 17-24, 2013	Su-Su	Spring Recess ~ No Classes Scheduled ~ University Open
March 26, 2013	T	Last Day to Withdraw from this course
March 29, 2013	F	Good Friday ~ University Closed
May 7, 2013	T	Classes follow a Friday Schedule, Last Day of Classes
May 8, 2013	W	Reading Day
May 9-15, 2013	T-W	Final Exams

 

Course Outline:

See course website on Moodle for assignments

 

Course Outline
Date	Lecture	Sections	Topic (Chapters to read)	Assignment
Jan 23	1		Discrete Biological Models, Difference Equations (1.1)	See course website on Moodle and/or notes handout in class for homework assignments
Jan 25	2		Propagation of Annual Plants (1.2)
Jan 30	3		Systems of Linear Difference Equations (1.3)
Feb 1	4		The Golden Mean, Complex Eigenvalues (1.5-1.8)
Feb 6	5		Applications (1.9)
Feb 8	6		Nonlinear Difference Equations (2.1-2.3)
Feb 13	7		Graphical Methods (2.5-2.6)
Feb 15	8		Systems of Nonlinear Difference Equations (2.7-2.9)
Feb 20	9		Exam #1 (Covered topics from Chapters 1 and 2)
Feb 22	10		Modeling Workshop I
Feb 27	11		Continuous Models (4.1)
Mar 1	12		The Chemostat (4.2-4.4)
Mar 6	13		Dimensional Analysis (4.5)
Mar 8	14		Steady State Solutions (4.6)
Mar 13	15		Stability (4.7, 4.9, 4.10)
Mar 15	16		Modeling Workshop II
Mar 27	17		Geometry of First Order ODE (5.1)
Apr 3	18		Systems of 2 First Order ODE (5.2, 5.3)
Apr 5	19		Geometric Analysis (5.4)
Apr 10	20		Nullclines (5.5-5.6)
Apr 12	21		Phase Plane Diagrams (5.7-5.8)
Apr 17	22		Geometric Analysis of the Chemostat (5.9-5.10)
Apr 19	23		Exam #2 (Covered Topics from Chapters 4 and 5)
Apr 24	24		Modeling Workshop III
Apr 26	25		Single Species Populations (6.1)
May 1	26		Predator Prey Systems (6.2)
May 3	27		Populations in Competition (6.3)
May 7	28		Limit Cycles and Oscillations (8.1, 8.2)

 

Prepared By:  Prof. Daniel Bunker

Last revised:  January 10, 2013