1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910465188103321

Autore

Palmer Paul I.

Titolo

Essential maths for geoscientists : an introduction / / Paul I. Palmer

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Chichester, England : , : Wiley-Blackwell, , 2014

©2014

ISBN

1-118-52702-X

1-118-52700-3

0-470-97193-2

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (218 p.)

Disciplina

510.24/55

Soggetti

Geology - Mathematics

Mathematics - Study and teaching

Ecology - Mathematical models

Environmental protectionels - Mathematical models

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Essential Maths for Geoscientists; Contents; Preface; 1 How Do You Know that Global Warming Is Not a Hoax?; The Earth system: how do we know what we know?; 2 Preamble; 2.1 The scientific method: pushing back the frontiers of ignorance; 2.2 Subscript and superscripts; 2.3 Scientific number format; 2.4 Significant figures and rounding numbers; 2.5 Units and dimensions; Unit conversion; 2.6 Symbols and numbers; 2.7 Mean, median and variance: commonly encountered statistics; 2.8 Guesstimation; 2.9 Exercises; 3 Algebra; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Evaluating algebraic equations

3.2.1 Preamble: symbols and numbers3.2.2 Powers, roots and bases; 3.3 Simplifying algebraic equations; Removing brackets; 3.4 Factorization; 3.4.1 Factorizing quadratic equations; 3.5 Transposing formulae; 3.6 Word problems; 3.7 Exercises; 4 Solving Equations; 4.1 Solving linear equations; 4.1.1 Graphically; 4.1.2 Analytically; 4.2 Solving simultaneous equations; 4.3 Solving quadratic equations; 4.3.1 Square roots; 4.3.2 Completing the square; 4.4 Exercises; 5 Logarithms and Exponentials; 5.1 Exponentials; 5.2 Logarithms; 5.2.1 Logarithm



laws; 5.2.2 Solving exponential equations

5.2.3 Power laws and scaling exponents5.3 Log-normal and log-log plots: when and how to use them; 5.4 Exercises; 6 Uncertainties, Errors, and Statistics; 6.1 Errors; 6.1.1 Important definitions; 6.1.2 Measures of error; 6.2 Combining errors; 6.2.1 Equations with one variable; 6.2.2 Equations with two or more variables; 6.2.3 Linear equations; 6.2.4 Products; 6.2.5 Combining results of different experiments; 6.3 Statistics; 6.3.1 Graphs; 6.3.2 Descriptive statistics; 6.4 Correlations; 6.5 Exercises; 6.5 Exercises; 7 Trigonometry; 7.1 Some geoscience applications of trigonometry

7.2 Anatomy of a triangle7.3 Angles: degrees and radians; 7.4 Calculating angles given a trigonometric ratio; 7.5 Cosine and sine rules for non-right-angled triangles; 7.6 Exercises; 8 Vectors; 8.1 What is a vector?; 8.2 Resolving a vector; 8.3 Vector algebra; 8.3.1 Adding and subtracting vectors; 8.3.2 Multiplying a vector by a scalar; 8.3.3 The resultant of two perpendicular vectors; 8.4 Resolving non-perpendicular vectors; 8.5 Exercises; 9 Calculus 1: Differentiation; 9.1 A graphical interpretation of differentiation; 9.2 A general formula for differentiation

9.3 The derivative of some common functions9.4 Differentiation of the sum and difference of functions; 9.5 Higher derivatives; 9.6 Maxima and minima; 9.7 Exercises; 10 Calculus 2: Integration; 10.1 Introduction; 10.2 Definite integrals; Area under a curve; 10.3 Numerical integration; 10.4 Exercises; 11 Bringing It All Together; A Answers to Problems; A.1 Chapter 2: Preamble; A.2 Chapter 3: Algebra; A.3 Chapter 4: Solving Equations; A.4 Chapter 5: Logarithms and Exponentials; A.5 Chapter 6: Uncertainties, Errors, and Statistics; A.6 Chapter 7: Trigonometry; A.7 Chapter 8: Vectors

A.8 Chapter 9: Differentiation

Sommario/riassunto

Maths for Geoscientists is an accessible, student-friendly introduction to the essential mathematics required by those students taking degree courses within the Geosciences. Clearly structured throughout, this book carefully guides the student step by step through the mathematics they will encounter and will provide numerous applied examples throughout to enhance students understanding and to place each technique into context.  Opening with a chapter explaining the need for studying mathematics within geosciences the book then moves on to cover algebra, equations, solutions, log