Modeling: FAQ

We can use function combinations to describe more complex relationships than we could with just one function. By combining functions, we can create models that better reflect the real world.

Some important features to look out for in functions include domain and range, intercepts, extrema, intervals of increase/decrease, and asymptotes. Understanding these features better will help us create accurate models.

Manipulating formulas allows us to solve for different variables, simplify expressions, and rewrite equations in different forms. This can be especially helpful when we are trying to understand what a function is telling us or when we want to use the function in a different way.

When we model with two variables, our model will only consider the relationship between those two variables. When we model with multiple variables, we can study the relationships between several variables at the same time. This can be helpful when we want to understand how different variables interact with one another.

The techniques we learn in this unit can be applied to a wide range of fields, from data science and engineering to economics and public health. For example, we might use the techniques we learn in this unit to model the spread of an infectious disease or predict the outcome of an election.