Modelling with differential equations

Abstract

Apparently the word model does not raise much confidence among general public or journalists. The terms “model” and “modelling” are in fact relatively new, therefore it is perhaps not surprising that their meaning is not very well understood. Of course, scientists have always made models also in the modern sense of the word, but maybe they used some other words like law rather than model. Would the above journalist have written in this case: “Researchers only have various laws”? Anyway, models and modelling have become increasingly popular. On the next few pages, we will consider models which can be expressed with the help of (systems of) differential equations.