Math 121 - Calculus for Biology I
Spring Semester, 2001
Lab Index

 © 2001, All Rights Reserved, SDSU & Joseph M. Mahaffy
San Diego State University -- This page last updated 25-Aug-02



Lab Index

This listing gives the Computer Labs that were assigned for the Spring 2001 Semester in my class. Below is a list of the labs and a brief summary of the problems.

Lab 1 (Help page)

  1. Lines and Quadratic (A1). Introduction to using Excel for editing graphs and Word for writing equations.
  2. Intersection of Line and Quadratic (A2). Graphing a line and a quadratic and finding significant points on the graph.
  3. Cricket Thermometer (A3). Listening to crickets on the web, then using a linear model for relating to temperature.

Lab 2 (Help page)

  1. Least Squares Fit to a Quadratic (B1). Use an applet to fit a quadratic to three points.
  2. Concentration and Absorbance (B2). Linear model for urea concentration measured in a spectrophotometer. Relate to animal physiology.
  3. Olympic Races (B3). Linear model for winning Olympic times for Men's and Women's races.

Lab 3 (Help page)

  1. Lines and Quadratic (C1). Introduction to Maple for solving equations.
  2. Weak Acids (C2). Solving for [H+] with the quadratic formula, then graphing [H+] and pH.
  3. Growth of Yeast (C3). Linear model for the early growth of a yeast culture. Quadratic to study the least squares best fit.

Lab 4 (Help page)

  1. Rational Function and Line (D1). Graphing and finding points of intersection, asymptotes, and intercepts.
  2. Planets (D2). Find Kepler's Law using an allometric model.
  3. Dog Study (D3). Use an allometric model to study the relationship between length, weight, and surface area of several dogs.

Lab 5 (Help page)

  1. Exponential, Logarithm, and Power Functions (E1). Study the relative size of these functions. Finding points of intersection.
  2. Island Biodiversity (E2). Fit an allometric model through data on herpetofauna on Caribbean islands.
  3. Allegheny Forest (E3). Model volume of trees as a function of diameter or height. Compare linear and allometric models.

Lab 6 (Help page)

  1. Malthusian Growth Model for the U. S (F1). Java applet used to find the least squares best fit of growth rate over different intervals of history. Model compared to census data.
  2. Malthusian Growth (F2). Data for two countries presented with a discrete Malthusian growth model used for analysis.
  3. Malthusian Growth and Nonautonomous Growth Models (F3). Census data analyzed for trends in their growth rates. Models are compared and contrasted to data, then used to project future populations.

Lab 7 (Help page)

  1. Bacterial Growth (G1). Discrete Malthusian and Logistic growth models are simulated and analyzed.
  2. Model for Breathing (G2). Examine a linear discrete model for determining vital lung functions for normal and diseased subjects following breathing an enriched source of argon gas.
  3. Immigration and Emigration with Malthusian growth (G3). Find solution of these models. Determine doubling time and when equal.

Lab 8 (Help page)

  1. Logistic Growth for a Yeast Culture (H1). Data from a growing yeast culture is fit to a discrete logistic growth model, which is then simulated and analyzed.
  2. Logistic Growth Model (H2). Simulations are performed to observe the behavior of the logistic growth model as it goes from stable behavior to chaos.
  3. U. S. Census models (H3). The population of the U. S. in the twentieth century is fit with a discrete Malthusian growth model, a Malthusian growth model with immigration, and a logistic growth model. These models are compared for accuracy and used to project future behavior of the population.

Lab 9 (Help page)

  1. Flight of a Ball. Data for a vertically thrown ball is fit, then analyzed (I1). Average velocities are computed for insight into the understanding of the derivative.
  2. Weight and Height of Girls (I2). Data on the growth of girls is presented. Allometric modeling compares the relationship between height and weight, then a growth curve is created.
  3. Cell Study (I3). Compute the volume and surface area of different cells, then study their growth with a Malthusian growth law. Learn more about exponential growth testing a statement by Michael Crichton.

Lab 10 (Help page)

  1. Tangent Lines and Derivative (J1). Secant lines are used, then the limit gives the tangent line. Rules of differentiation are explored.
  2. Oxygen consumption of Triatoma phyllosoma (J2). Cubic polynomial is fit to data for oxygen consumption of this bug. The minimum and maximum are found.
  3. Plankton in the Salton Sea (J3). The logarithm of the populations are found, then fit with a quartic polynomials. Extrema are found to find peak populations.

Lab Final (Help page)

  1. Graphing a polynomial times an exponential (K1). Graphing the function and its derivative. Maple is used to help find extrema and points of inflection for this function.
  2. Pulse vs. Weight (K2). A allometric model relating the pulse and weight of mammals is formulated and studied.
  3. Drug Therapy (K3). Models comparing the differences between drug therapies. One case considers injection of the drug, while the other considers slow time release from a polymer.
  4. Population of Saw-Tooth Grain Beetle (L1). Discrete logistic model and Ricker's model for population growth are studied for this beetle population. Stability analysis of the models are performed.