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Scientific Computing 2000
Shodor > SUCCEED > Workshops > Archive > Scientific Computing 2000

The students started the day with an introduction to Scientific Computing. The students learned to consider scientific computing in terms of the three As, Application, or problem being solved, Algorithm, or the process of solving the problem, and Architecture, or the equipment used to solve the problem.

The students learned how to model the spread of disease in STELLA™, looking at the common flu, the Ebola virus, and AIDS.

The students then used dice to run a race between one person who advanced based on a dice roll, and one person who advanced at a regular rate. They looked at the difference between the two, and how it changed depending on the length of the race.

The students studied how to model the fall of an object using Euler's method, and the Leapfrog method. They learned what the smallest number a computer can add to another is, and how round off in calculations can affect the results of a model.

Finally, the students looked at a model of rabbits and wolves, with one model based upon random chance, and the other based on regular rates of change.