Probably mathematics is one of the most feared subjects in science education. So many students would prefer going for biology just to avoid mathematics. We have mathematics as a part of the biology course In most of the schools. While attending the class of ‘mathematics in science’ we get to hear the word ‘biology’ one or two times. Because, many of the times it is either about only mathematics or biology. Many of us have once struggled hard to correlate the two WORDS as biomath.
Together both of them were not making sense as they could independently. And then there are examples where some poor Tony will have to calculate the time required for the tank to fill up which is always leaking. Uggh! That’s what happens when a teacher who only teaches mathematics is assigned to biomath class. That creates a need for a biology teacher who could also teach mathematics. I am sure this time the lesson will make more sense of biology.
The study of mathematics in biology can be cordial if explained with simple and basic biological concepts. The depth of math and science knowledge depends upon the objective of the study. Basic knowledge of mathematics is required for the academic level whereas advanced mathematics is required for higher studies that involve research and other programs.
Some fundamental mathematical concepts like set theory, linear function, power function, log function, etc, apply to biology. There is one major branch of mathematics plays an essential role in deducting the valuable information from the data collected from experiments. This is known as statistics. It has n number of applications in the biological sciences. It’s especially important when there is a large amount of data to deal with.
Being a student its, not required to have knowledge of complex mathematical or statistical models. The basic level of science math gives a more realistic picture of the concept. A simple example is that we all have compared our height with our fellow students and teased the one with tall or short stature. The same is true for plants as well. The height measurements are collected and studied for the basis of the differences in the heights. In agricultural sciences, these studies are of special significance.
Scholastic mathematics doesn’t have to be complex like studying population dynamics or the one that is used in weather forecasting. At least not when you are an introductory student of biology.
The knowledge of mathematics pursued without knowing it’s practical applications is undoubtedly forgotten over time. But once things are learned they can’t easily be unlearnt. So while learning mathematics it’s important to understand where it is needed and how it is applied. That solves most of our fear issues with mathematics.
In biological sciences, mathematics is used on multiple occasions. Mathematics is a simple way to see things as they are. Most importantly it allows you to calculate and predict the behavior of the entity under examination. In biology, basic mathematics is used to understand a basic biological phenomenon like growth, reaction rates, genetics, and many other aspects. We will see how different mathematical concepts are applied to biological sciences.
Sets an important aspects of biological mathematics
Set is one of the fundamental concepts in mathematics. Set in general terms means a collection of well-defined objects. We all like the place which is properly organized but not in the mess. This allows us to seek the desired entity in the right place where it’s been kept. The same goes for the set theory, basically, it helps to organize the information for convenient use and application. Nowadays set theory is an integral part of the studies in every scientific discipline. We will see applications of sets in biology in the next article.
Mathematical functions
It’s a type of relationship between the two sets. Functions help to predict a precise determination of the change in certain biological processes with respect to the other. There are different types of functions routinely used in biological sciences. We will study the most commonly used functions in biological sciences. Examples are linear function, power function, exponential functions, etc, from the biological perspectives.
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Additional Reading:
1. Connecting Biology and Mathematics: First Prepare the Teachers
Andrej Šorgo
CBE Life Sci Educ. 2010 Fall; 9(3): 196–200. doi: 10.1187/cbe.10-03-0014
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2931666/
2. A mathematical applications into the cells,
Manjul Tiwari, J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2012 Jan-Jun; 3(1): 19–23. doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.95937
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Very important topic. Waiting for detailed explanations on how to learn mathematics by considering its role in biology…
Interesting topic
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