Mathematical Modeling

Mathematical models are ubiquitous, providing a quantitative framework for understanding, prediction, and decision-making in nearly every aspect of life, ranging from the timing of traffic lights, to the control of the spread of disease, to resource management, to sports. They also play a fundamental role in all natural sciences and increasingly in the social sciences as well. This course provides an introduction to modeling through in-depth discussions of a series of examples, and hands-on exercises and projects that make use of a range of continuous and discrete mathematical tools. Harvard Extension School students may not take both APMA S-115 (offered previously) and MATH S-116 for degree or certificate credit.