Mathematics & Science Learning Center
Computer Laboratory

Applications of Differential Equations

Population Dynamics

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Your latest session should have gone like this:

reality= Table[{reality[[j,1]]-1790,
  reality[[j,2]]},{j,22}]

{{0, 3.93}, {10, 5.31}, {20, 7.24}, {30, 9.64}, {40, 12.87}, {50, 17.07}, {60, 23.19}, {70, 31.44}, {80, 39.83}, {90, 50.16}, {100, 62.95}, {110, 75.99}, {120, 91.97}, {130, 105.71}, {140, 122.78}, {150, 131.67}, {160, 151.33}, {170, 179.32}, {180, 203.21}, {190, 226.5}, {200, 248.71}, {210, 281.42}}

MatrixForm[reality]

So now the first elements in each ordered pair of the reality matrix represent the time that has passed, in years, since 1790.

Plotting the Graph of Reality

To get an even better view of what the data looks like a picture would be appropriate. To plot data in Mathematica (as opposed to plotting functions) we use the ListPlot command. Ask Mathematica for its syntax using the standard ? command.

Let's go see what you should have gotten...

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