2WH10 – Effectiveness of Mathematics

Aims / Summary

The goal of this introductory bachelor course is for students to find out where mathematics plays a crucial role in science and society. Applications range from analyzing and constructing symmetrical structures to ways of storing digital data on CDs and in QR-codes. The topics covered range from exploring the role of mathematics behind strategic, probabilistic games, and matching problems, to the interplay of Newton’s laws, calculus, and simulation techniques to gain insight in planetary orbits.

Lecturers from SPOR

The Stochastics part of this course takes two weeks and is taught by Alida Rusch and dr. Jaron Sanders (TU/e, personal).

Course material

For the Stochastics part of this course, we provide slides and an exercise bundle. You will find this material on Canvas.

Exam / Grading

For the Stochastics part of this course, you are asked to hand in two homework assignments. We ask you to partner up and deliver your work in student groups of size three. You will then have one week to complete each assignment.

There is a final exam and a part of this exam will specifically be on what we taught you about Stochastics.

Online lectures

For the Stochastics part of this course, all lectures and instructions will be taught digitally, using a combination of pre-recorded videos and Canvas Conferences for live interaction. We will be using Powerpoint slides predominantly, and at times, may use Microsoft Whiteboard. Be on time and present, digitally, and participate. We encourage you strongly to enable your camera and have a functional microphone for interactivity.

Canvas Conferences can be found in the menu to your left on our course page on canvas.tue.nl.

Course overview

Presentations’ slides

Here are my presentations’ slides:

Markov Chains

Available soon.