INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL ECONOMICS

Course outline

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Period: 14-18 September 2009.

Timetable: 18:00 h - 21:00 h.

Venue: Room Banco Espírito Santo (Quelhas building).

Contact hours: 15 hours.

Class size: 10-45.

Teaching language: Portuguese.

Pre-requisites: 12th grade Mathematics.

Academic staff

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Filomena Garcia (Course leader)

Aims

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• To provide the basic instruments to apply Mathematics to economic problems and models at the undergraduate level in Economics.
• To provide a basic homogeneous preparation or an opportunity to refresh undergraduate knowledge to the new students of the M.Sc. courses in Economics and in Monetary and Financial Economics, and of the Ph.D. Programme in Economics.
• To offer the same opportunity to students in other M.Sc. courses at ISEG/TULisbon and to graduates in Economics and related areas.

Syllabus

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1. Real functions in Economics
2. Applying Linear Algebra to Economics
3. Differential and integral calculus and their economic applications
4. Optimisation with constraints: the object of Economics?
5. Introduction to Economic Dynamics: differential and difference equations

Main readings

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• Sydsaeter, K., and Hammond, P. (2005). Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, 2nd edn. New York: Prentice Hall.
• Sydsaeter, K., and Hammond, P. (2005). Further Mathematics for Economic Analysis. New York: Prentice Hall

Additional readings

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• Chiang, A. and Weinwright, K. (2005). Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics, 4th edn. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Roberts, B. and Schulze, D. (1973). Modern Mathematics and Economic Analysis, 4th edn. New York: W. W. Norton.

Assessment

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On Sunday, 20 September there will be a short online test to assess the knowledge acquired by students. The exam paper will be available at 15:00 h and it can be downloaded here. Answers should be sent via e-mail to fgarcia@iseg.ulisboa.pt in PDF format up to 20:00 h.

Links

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• Mathematical Economics
• M.Sc. in Economics
• M.Sc. in Monetary and Financial Economics
• Ph.D. Programme in Economics
• Introduction to Econometrics
• A Summer Study Guide for New Students of the M.Sc. in Economics and M.Sc. in Monetary and Financial Economics (disponível no Aquila)