Mathematical Models

Using and Understanding Mathematics
Sixth Edition
Chapter 9
Modeling Our
World
Copyright © 2015, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Slide - 1
9.A Functions: The Building Blocks
of Mathematical Models
Mathematical Models
• Mathematical models are based on relationships between
quantities that can change
– E.g. relationship between wind speed and stress on a
bridge
– E.g. relationship between worker productivity and
unemployment
• These relationships are described by mathematical tools
called functions
Dependent and Independent Variables
• The quantities related by a function are called variables,
because they change, or vary
• Table 9.1. Variation of temperature over the course of a day
– Dependent variable: Temperature
– Independent variable: Time
Time Temperature Time Temperature
6:00am 50F 1:00pm 73F
7:00am 52F 2:00pm 73F
8:00am 55F 3:00pm 70F
9:00am 58F 4:00pm 68F
10:00 61F 5:00pm 65F
11:00 65F 6:00pm 61F
12:00 noon 70F
Dependent and Independent Variables
• Time is the independent variable because time varies
independently from temperature
• Temperature is the dependent variable because it varies with
respect to time
• Table 9.1. Variation of temperature over the course of a day
Time Temperature Time Temperature
6:00am 50F 1:00pm 73F
7:00am 52F 2:00pm 73F
8:00am 55F 3:00pm 70F
9:00am 58F 4:00pm 68F
10:00 61F 5:00pm 65F
11:00 65F 6:00pm 61F
12:00 noon 70F
Example: Identifying variables
• The total distance a car has traveled after various amounts
of time during a road trip
– The dependent variable is distance and the
independent variable is time, because the distance the
car has traveled depends on how much time elapsed in
the road trip. We expect the distance to increase as
more time passes
• The way the price of a tablet affects the number of people
who buy it.
– The dependant variable is number of people and the
independent variable is the price.
Example: Identifying variables
• The effect of income tax rates on government revenue.
– The dependent variable is government revenue and the
independent variable is income tax
• The way in which the population of endangered elephants
depends on the number of park rangers enforcing anti-
poaching laws
– The dependent variable is the population of elephants
and the independent variable is the number of park
rangers.
Functions
• A function describes how a dependent variable
changes with respect to one or more independent
variables. When there are only two variables, they
are often summarized as an ordered pair with the
independent variable first:
(independent variable, dependent variable)
• The dependent variable is a function of the
independent variable. If x is the independent variable
and y is the dependent variable, write the function as
y = f(x).
Example: Writing Functions
For each situation, express the given function in words. Write
the two variables as an ordered pair and write the function
with the notation y = f(x).
a. You are riding in a hot-air balloon. As the balloon rises, the
surrounding atmospheric pressure decreases (causing your
ears to pop).
Pressure is the dependent variable and altitude is the
independent variable, so the ordered pair of variables is
(altitude, pressure).
Let A stand for altitude and P stand for pressure, then we
write the function as P = f(A)
Example: Writing Functions
b. You’re on a barge headed south down the Mississippi
River. You notice that the width of the river changes as
you travel southward with the current.
River width is the dependent variable and distance
from the source is the independent variable, so the
ordered pair of variables is (distance from source,
river width).
Let d represent distance and w represent river width, we
have the function w = f(d).
Representing Functions
There are three basic ways to represent a function.
• Use a data table.
• Draw a picture or graph.
• Write an equation (or formula).
Domain and Range
• The domain of a function is the set of values that both
make sense and are of interest for the independent
variable.
• The range of a function consists of the values of the
dependent variable that correspond to the values in
the domain.
Creating and Using Graphs of
Functions
Step 1: Identify the independent and dependent variables of
the function.
Step 2: Identify the domain and range of the function. Use
this information to choose the scale and labels on
the axes. Zoom in on the region of interest to make
the graph easier to read.
Step 3: Make a graph using the given data. If appropriate, fill
in the gaps between data points.
Step 4: Before accepting any predictions of the model, be
sure to evaluate the data and assumptions from
which the model was built.
Example: Table 9.1. Temperature over Time
• Independent variable: Time
• Dependent variable: Temperature
• Domain:
– Negative values of time do not make sense
– The only times of interest in this function are those
during which data was collected- from 6am to 6pm
• Range:
– The lowest temperature recorded was 50F and the
highest temperature recorded was 73F. So the range is
50-73F
• We can draw the graph now
– We use the horizontal axis for the time, t, and label it hours
after 6am.
– t=0 corresponds to 6am
– We use the vertical axis for the temperature, T
– Each data point is plotted individually
• Complete the graph by drawing smooth curves between
points
• Now we can predict any value
Example: Pressure-Altitude Function
• Imagine measuring the atmospheric pressure as you rise
upward in a hot-air balloon.
• Table 9.2 shows typical values you might find for the
pressure at different altitudes, with the pressure given in
units of inches of mercury
Altitude (ft) Pressure (in mercury)
0 30
5000 25
10000 22
20000 16
30000 10
Example: Pressure-Altitude Function
• Altitude, A, is the independent variable and Pressure, P, is
the dependent variable
• Domain : 0-30000ft
• Range : 10-30 mercury
Example: Hours of Daylight as a
Function
The number of hours of daylight varies with the seasons.
Use the following data for 40°N latitude to model the change
in the number of daylight hours with time.
• The number of hours of daylight is greatest on the summer
solstice (around June 21), when there are about 14 hours
of daylight.
• The number of hours of daylight is smallest on the winter
solstice (around December 21), when there are about 10
hours of daylight.
• On the spring and fall equinoxes (around March 21 and
September 21, respectively), there are about 12 hours of
daylight.
Example: Hours of Daylight
• Since time passes regardless of other events, let time,
denoted by t, be the independent variable.
• Let the hours of daylight, denoted by h, be the dependent
variable.
• The function is h = f(t).
• The domain is all times of interest, say 3 years.
• The range is from 10 to 14 hours of daylight.
• The number of hours of daylight changes smoothly with
the seasons.
• The same pattern repeats from one year to the next – called
a periodic function.
Example: Hours of Daylight
A graph of the function h = f(t) is shown below.
Review Examples
• Identify the independent and dependent variables
– You jump from an airplane (with a parachute) and want
to know how far you have traveled at various times
during your descent
 Solution: There is a functional relationship with time
as the independent variable and distance fallen as
the dependent variable.
– You are music store owner and want to know how the
demand for CDs (the number that you can sell)
depends on the price you charge per CD
 Solution: There is a functional relationship with
price as the independent variable and demand as
the dependent variable.
Review Examples
• Consider the graph of the following function.
– Identify the independent and dependent variables and
describe the domain and the range
– Describe the function in words
Review Examples
• Consider the graph of the following function.
– Identify the independent and dependent variables and
• a. The independent variable is age (measured in years),
and the dependent variable is weight (measured in
pounds). The domain is the set of ages between 0 and 40
years, and the range is all weights between about 8
pounds and 130 pounds.
• b. The function shows that weight increases with age,
increasing rapidly in the early years and then leveling off in
the laterCopyright
years.© 2015, 2011, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Slide - 26
Review Examples
• For the following table
– Identify the independent and dependent variables amd
– Make a clear graph of the function
Speed(mi/hr) Stopping Distance (reaction plus breaking in ft)
10 13
20 39
30 75
40 117
50 169
60 234
70 312
Review Examples
• Solution:
– The variables are (speed , stopping distance ).The domain
is speeds between 0 and 70 mi/hr, and the range is
distances between 0 and 312 feet.
Review Examples
350
• Solution: 300
250
Stopping Distance(ft)
200
150
100
50
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Speed(mi/hr)
Review Examples
• Solution:
– The stopping distance increases with speed.

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Using and Understanding Mathematics

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