Calculus, Biology and Medicine: A Case Study in Quantitative Literacy for Science Students

• Main Authors: Kim Rheinlander, Dorothy Wallace
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Numeracy Network 2011-01-01
• Series: Numeracy
• Subjects: Calculus; biology; medicine; modeling; differetial equation; numeracy; curriculum; pedagogy
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.4.1.3

This paper describes a course designed to enhance the numeracy of biology and pre-medical students. The course introduces students with the background of one semester of calculus to systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations as they appear in the mathematical biology literature. Evaluation of the course showed increased enjoyment and confidence in doing mathematics, and an increased appreciation of the utility of mathematics to science. Students who complete this course are better able to read the research literature in mathematical biology and carry out research problems of their own.