fluid flow, certain elasticity
problems, and diffusion and
convection in materials.
Why is Laplace transform
important in engineering?
Laplace transform is a way to
solve linear differential equa-
tions and translate them into
simple algebraic problems that
are easier to solve. It was devel-
oped by French mathematician
and theoretician Marquis Pierre-
Simon de Laplace (1749– 1827).
Although it carries his name,
the Laplace transform seems
to have been first used by
Denis Poisson (1781–1840) in
- Today, it is used exten-
sively in electrical engineering
problems.
How are modelingand
simulationused in
engineering?
Modeling and simulation have
become an essential part of
engineering on both a small
and large scale. Because build-
ing any size of structure takes
time and money, engineers
often develop a mathematical
model, a set of equations that
describe what may happen to a structure if it is built the way it is represented by the
model. Using a computer (or graphic) representation gives the engineers a three-
dimensional view.
For example, before the space shuttle was built, engineers used mathematical
modeling to simulate what the craft would look like in three dimensions. In this way,
the engineers learned how the shuttle would fly, how strong the heat-resistant tiles
had to be in order to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere, and even how to maneuver the 327
MATH IN ENGINEERING
The Petronas Towers in Malaysia, shown here standing at 1,483
feet, were the tallest structure in the world in 1998. But in 2004
Taipei 101, at 1,670 feet high, became the tallest. To construct such
massive buildings, engineers need to understand a lot about stress
and pressure so that the structures don’t collapse under their own
weight. The Image Bank/Getty Images.