MATH 220 Week 7 Discussion

MATH 220 Week 7 Discussion | Assignment Help | american-public-university-system

Week 7 Forum: Symmetric Matrices and Quadratic Forms / Quadratic Forms

Quadratic Forms

Chapter 7 discusses a number of topics which have widespread applicability to real world applications. Quadratic forms especially are widely used in engineering and science, whether to model an engineering project such as designing a bridge or a dam, or develop the equations that model fluid flow (gases, liquids, traffic patterns, and so on), or to develop equations in such mathematical areas as topology and geometry, or in physics to model the shape of multi-dimensional spaces.

For this final week of new topics (remember that next week is the final exam, so we will not be introducing any new material) let’s discuss some typical real world situations where you find quadratic forms being used. Pick one such situation and describe it in some detail. What was the most interesting – or surprising - thing you learned about how the technique is put to use?

Be sure to pick a situation to discuss that nobody else has explored in depth yet. Put the application you chose to explore in depth in the subject line heading of your initial post (for example, “Quadratic forms in fluid dynamics”).

Sometimes students will create an original math homework-type example as it applies to a particular situation, and even work out the numbers, but not do any internet research. Note, however, that the intent of this forum is to do outside research each week and find an application online that you were unfamiliar with, then describe that application in your post. So you will always have outside sources to cite.

Our textbook in chapter 7 contains a number of specific examples and homework problems to give you ideas, both in the e-book and in MyMathLab. You can also search online to find real world examples of quadratic forms. Some good websites to start out with are listed below (but there are many, many others online, so please don’t limit yourself to these):

http://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/~aar/books/dublin.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadratic_form

Be sure to include the source(s) you use in your post.

Instructions : Your initial post should be at least 250 words. In addition, please respond to at least 2 other students. Your responses should help develop discussion around the topic/feedback that your classmate presented. Responses to students should be a minimum of 100 words each.