Modeling Pollution Levels in the Great Lakes
0Day 1 | 4:30 PM–5:00 PM
"Modeling Pollution Levels in the Great Lakes"
Presented by:
Tamar Avineri, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham NC USA
https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/simiode/expo/2025
Abstract: In the Great Lakes in the United States, water flows from Lake Huron into Lake Erie, and from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. From Lake Ontario, water flows through the St. Lawrence Seaway to the ocean. In this session, we will look at a problem that prompts students to write differential equations that model the pollution levels in each of the lakes over time and use those models to explore the phenomenon. The problem is designed for students in Calculus or Differential Equations but can also be adapted for students in Precalculus (using recursion). Solutions include both numerical and analytic approaches, and the analytic approach introduces students to a real-world context where the method of Integrating Factors becomes important. The session will begin with a statement of the problem to model how it is launched in the classroom. Participants will have an opportunity to briefly consider how they would approach the problem and share their thoughts during the session (10 minutes). We will then move to a discussion of both numerical and analytic solutions (10 minutes) and examine student-generated solutions, if time permits (5 minutes). The final 5 minutes will be focused on questions from the audience.