CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC

UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Course Title:

Introduction to Mathematical
Economics
EC 406
Date of Preparation:
May 2009
Prepared by:
Mohammad Safarzadeh

COURSE OUTLINE
I.

Catalog Description
EC 406 Introduction to Mathematical Economics (4)
Mathematical description and derivation of micro- and macro-economic theory. 4
lecture/discussions. Prerequisite: EC 201 and EC 202 and one of the following: MAT 114 or
MAT 125 or MAT 130.

II.

Required Background or Experience

EC 201 and EC 202 and one of the following: MAT 114 or MAT 125 or MAT 130.

III.

Expected Outcomes
Students in EC 406 will:

IV.

a)

express economic concepts and economic theories in the context of simple

mathematical models, and

b)

manipulate the models and the mathematical relationships towards deriving the
optimum solutions.

Text and Readings

Texts:
Sydsaeter, K. and P. Hammond Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis 3rd
Ed.(Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2008).
Kamran D. Foundations of Mathematical And Computational Economics, 1st Ed.
(Mason, OH: Cengage Publishing, 2007.
Mohammad S., Mathematical Methods in Economics Using Mathematica, 1st Ed.
(Dubuque, IO: Kendall-Hunts Publishing, 2006).
Wainwright, K. and A. C Chiang, Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics, 4th
Ed. (New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2005).

Introduction to Mathematical Economics

EC 406
Page 2
Klein, M. Mathematical Methods for Economics, 2nd Ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall, 2002.
Hess, P. N. Using Mathematics in Economic Analysis, 1st Ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall, 2002.
V.

Minimum Student Materials

Textbooks, notebooks, required reading materials, and access to computer equipped with
Mathematica software.

VI.

Minimum College Facilities

Library collection of references and related publications. Classroom for lecture/problem
solving sessions. Computer lab equipped with student workstations equipped with
Mathematica software.

VII.

Course Outline
A.

B.

C.

Overview of Quantitative Economic Requirements

1.

Economic Models and Economic Analysis

2.

Introduction to Mathematica

3.

Numbers and Mathematical Relations

4.

Elements of Linear Algebra

Optimizing Techniques in Economics

1.

Differential Calculus

2.

Unconstrained Optimization

3.

Constrained Optimization

Linear Economic Models

1.

Linear Programming

Introduction to Mathematical Economics

EC 406
Page 3

2.
D.

Applications of Linear Programming

Dynamic Economic Models

1.

Difference Equations

2.

Differential Equations

3.

Imaginary Roots and Solutions to Differential and Difference Equations

VIII. Instructional Methods

Lecture/discussion sessions with problem solving applications using Mathematica software.
Interactive lab sessions with problem solving applications using Mathematica software.

IX.

Evaluation of Outcomes
Weekly problem solving assignments and exercises using Mathematica software and other
course materials, midterm and final examinations.