Date Presented

Spring 4-29-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Mathematics

First Advisor

Dr. Leslie Hatfield

Second Advisor

Dr. Douglas Thomasey

Third Advisor

Dr. Beth Savage

Abstract

This research study used mathematical models to analyze and depicted specific battle situations and the outcomes of the zombie apocalypse. The original models that predicted warfare were the Lanchester models, while the zombie apocalypse models were fictional expansions upon mathematical models used to examine infectious diseases. In this paper, I analyzed and compared different mathematical models by examining each model’s set of assumptions and the impact of the change in variables on the population classes. The purpose of this study was to understand the basics of the discrete dynamical systems and to determine the similarities between imaginary and realistic models. The Lanchester models that were examined were the Area Aimed model and the Aimed Fire model, while the Susceptible Zombie Removed model (SZR) and a Susceptible Infected Zombie Removed model (SIZR) portrayed the relationship between different population classes during the zombie apocalypse. From the differential equations used in the four models, I determined the impact of different variables on winning battles and on the likelihood of surviving the zombie apocalypse.

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