The last topic of the course(!) is Markov Models, which are probabilistic models of the state transitions in a system.
These models, like the one in the image above, combine:
⭐️ Graphs (as you can see)
⭐️ Probabilities (the weights on the edges),
⭐️ Matrix multiplication (to model the dynamic behaviour of the system),
⭐️ Logistic growth (which is a common pattern of dynamic growth in markov processes), and
⭐️ Solving systems of equations (to find the system's equilibrium state).
It's a five star mathematical experience! And I hope an interesting way to end the course.
Almost done: Just a few deadlines to go ⌛️
Exercise set 13 is due Wednesday morning at the start of class!
Assignment 11 is due Wednesday at 1 pm.
Exercise set 14 (the last one!) is due next Monday.
Assignment 12 (the last one!) is due next Wednesday.
The Final Exam is on Wednesday April 15 from 9 am — 12 pm in Rm A2601 (our usual classroom). There is lots of information about it, including a couple of past exams, under Week 16 and we will go over what it will cover in detail in class next Wednesday.
Make a difference: Provide feedback!
Courses and teachers don't get better by accident. They get better when they get, and act on, useful feedback. I hope
you will take time to give me some by filling out both my Course Improvement
Questionnaire, and the official YukonU Course evaluation. I appreciate it! 🙏
The course isn't quite over, but I'm already thinking about the next time I teach it, and what I could do to make it better.
Please help me improve it! The things I do right in teaching are the result of suggestions and ideas from years of students. Answering the brief questions in this questionnaire will directly affect how the course is taught next time. And it's good karma for you. 😇
(Note that this is a Moodle survey and is not anonymous.)
Official course evaluation 👍/👎
There is also an official evaluation of the course YukonU uses for its purposes (the instructor, the chair or program coordinator, and sometimes the Dean of the school, all see them). The official
course evaluation is completely anonymous, and instructors don't see your responses until after we have submitted our final grades. I read your responses to it carefully and thoughtfully, but the questions
are not as immediately actionable as the ones on my survey.
