FAQs: Undergraduate program, Dept of Math, Univ of Washington

MATH 144/5/6 - Calculus for the Biological Sciences
MATH 144/5/6 is a new calculus sequence developed for students who intend to major in the biological or life sciences. Throughout the course, examples and applications will be selected from these fields. The sequence has already been approved by the undergraduate programs in Biology, Botany, Microbiology, Neurobiology, and Zoology, as an equivalent for their current Math 124/5/6 requirements (see exact lists below.)

MATH 144 is the appropriate entry point for most students. The course begins with an introduction to discrete probability, with examples selected from genetics and bacterial growth. It continues with a study of the functions most often encountered in life science models, especially the exponential and logarithm. The course concludes with an introduction to differentiation and its application to curve sketching.

MATH 145 covers derivatives and integrals, with emphasis on applications and examples from the life sciences. It may be entered directly by students with a strong precalculus preparation (see entry requirements below.) Typical examples include optimal structures of biological organisms, and blood flow through vessels.

MATH 146 covers further applications of the integral, and basic differential equations. Applications include density functions, and the application of calculus to probability and experimental measurement. Differential equations are introduced as a way to model biological phenomena, such as population growth, and are then solved to predict future growth patterns.

Registration requirements for MATH 144:
Students will be able to register using the on-line registration system if they have one of the following:

68% on the Advanced Math Placement Test

Completion of MATH 120 with a minimum grade of 2.5

Current enrollment in MATH 120

Advanced Placement score of 2 or higher on the AB or BC exam

Students will have to be registered by an advisor if they have one of the following:

Completion of Math 124, or 144 with any passing grade

Current enrollment in Math 124, or 144

Registration for requirements for Math 145:
Students will be able to register using the on-line registration system if they have one of the following:

75% on the Advanced Math Placement Test

Completion of MATH 120 with a minimum grade of 3.2 or higher

Completion of MATH 124 or 144 with a grade of 2.0 or higher

Current enrollment in MATH 124 or 144

Advanced Placement score of 3 on AB or BC test

Students will have to be registered by an advisor if they have one of the following:

Completion of MATH 125 or 145 with any passing grade

Current enrollment in MATH 125 or 145

Registration requirements for MATH 146:
Students will be able to register using the on-line registration system if they have one of the following:

Completion of MATH 145 or 125 with a minimum grade of 2.0 or better

Current enrollment in MATH 125 or 145

Students will have to be registered by an advisor if they have one of the following:

Current enrollment in Math 146