BE 230

Computer Lab Exercise 4 – Biological Modeling: Data Estimation

This computer lab exercise will prepare you for the next topic of our lesson: Biological Modeling.

Table 1 shows an estimate of cumulative HIV infections worldwide.

1. Using ListPlot function of Mathematica (section 1.9.9 Plotting List of Data), graph the data, Year as x axis; Number as y axis. Label axes accordingly. To make your graph clearer, connect the points using Joined->True syntax.
2. Find a mathematical equation that will describe the trend. (section 3.8.1 Curve Fitting, use linear fit)
3. If the trend continued, what would have been the estimated HIV infection in year 2000? (Hint: using your solution to no. 2 above, replace independent variable, say x, with the value 2000. For reference, see section 1.4.2 Values for Symbols)
4. What would be the estimated HIV infection in year 2002?

Table 1. Estimated cumulative HIV infection worldwide (Brown, L.R., M. Renner, and C. Flavin. 1997. Vital Signs 1997. W.W. Norton, New York, p. 85)

Year	HIV infection	Year	HIV infection
1980	0.2	1988	8.7
1981	0.6	1989	10.7
1982	1.1	1990	13
1983	1.8	1991	15.5
1984	2.7	1992	18.5
1985	3.9	1993	21.9
1986	5.3	1994	25.9
1987	6.9	1995	30.6