Math for Biology: Which Courses to Take?

[Ostonzi]

Could I get some advice for which math to take for biology?

Here's a list.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=432385

Thanks!

 

[nucleargirl]

hm... I've found that statistics is useful for biology - like analysing experiment results and data. Algebra and equations are useful for modelling predator/prey relationships. And I'm guessing some kind of network maths would be useful in neural network modelling?

It depends what you want to specialise in... maybe look at what areas of biology you want to study and then see what maths would be useful in those areas?

 

[arildno]

Well, (partial) differential equations, like Fischer's equation is used in some biology.

Furthermore, difference equations are, as far as I know, used in mathematical ecology.

 

[Pythagorean]

I'm with arildno, but I'd even specify nonlinear analysis, since many population, cell cycles, chemical species models, neuron models, etc are nonlinear and have no general analytical solution.

But it also depends on what you want to do in biology. Statistics may be sufficient (though I've seen bad statistics by our local Fish and Game who didn't consider the nonlinear effects of predator/prey models)

 

[tkjtkj]

Could I get some advice for which math to take for biology?

Here's a list.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=432385

Thanks!

What do your school advisors suggest? Have you asked them? Do you have a mentor? What is your interest in Bio (tho you need have no specific interest at this point)? What do you like to do? Swim? Scuba? Hit rocks with a hammer? Spend hours with testtubes or microscopes?
Remember: yo have to show up for work each day .. Miight as well make it a thing where an important activity is a thing you really enjoy, in your gut.

 

[Moonbear]

At a minimum, take calculus and a course on parametric statistics and experimental design. Anything beyond that will depend on what field of biology you go into and can be taken later (such as nonparametric statistics, or other advanced math courses).