Course coordinator
Dr Zachary Breig
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
This course will focus on the application of differential & integral calculus as well as matrix algebra to economic models. Simple unconstrained optimisation will be studied. The course will also introduce some aspects of multi-variate analysis.
This course introduces students to relevantﾠmathematical methods and their applicationﾠin economics. A goodﾠunderstanding of these methods is crucial for studentsﾠto comprehendﾠimportant concepts inﾠother selected areas inﾠeconomics.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students are expected to be familiar with algebra, calculus, and coordinate geometry.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ECON1050
Course contact
School enquiries
School Enquiries, School of Economics
All enquiries regarding student and academic administration (i.e. non-course content information, e.g., class allocation, timetables, extension to assessment due date, etc.) should be directed toﾠenquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.ﾠ
Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Lectures commence in Week 1.
Tutorials commence in Week 2
Please see the Learning Activities section of this Course Profile for the timetabling implications of public holidays.
Important Dates:
· Public Holidays: Fri 18 April (Good Friday), Mon 5ﾠMay (Labour Day).
· Mid-Semester Break: 21 April - 25 April. Semester 1 classes recommence on Mon 28 April.
Students should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time to time late room changes may occur.
Aims and outcomes
This course provides an introduction to the mathematical tools commonly used in economic analysis.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Represent and manipulate simple economic models algebraically.
LO2.
Use differential calculus, including partial derivatives and differentials, across a range of economic problems.
LO3.
Apply integration techniques to economic concepts such as consumer surplus and producer surplus.
LO4.
Apply methods of unconstrained and constrained optimization to simple economic problems.
LO5.
Use matrix algebra to solve sets of simultaneous equations and simple input-output models.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Assignment 1
|
30% |
10/04/2025 - 17/04/2025
Due date April 17th at 4 PM |
| Project |
Assignment 2
|
30% |
23/05/2025 - 30/05/2025
Due date May 30th at 4 PM |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Assignment 1
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
10/04/2025 - 17/04/2025
Due date April 17th at 4 PM
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04
Task description
The assignment will be a series of problems that test students' knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and tutorials. Assignment 1 will cover material from lectures 1 to 6.
This assessment task evaluates student's abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (Al). Students are advised that the use of Al technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments must be hand written and legible. Scan the assignment (scanners are available at the Library) and create ONE pdf document. EXAMINE YOUR PDF DOCUMENT prior to submission to ensure it is legible and complete. Submit online through Blackboard Turnitin. More details will be provided on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions are limited to ensure timely feedback to other students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignment 2
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
23/05/2025 - 30/05/2025
Due date May 30th at 4 PM
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The assignment will be a series of problems that test students' knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and tutorials. Assignment 2 will cover material from lectures 3-10 (although this material is dependent on earlier lectures as well).
This assessment task evaluates student's abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (Al). Students are advised that the use of Al technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments must be hand written and legible. Scan the assignment (scanners are available at the Library) and create ONE pdf document. EXAMINE YOUR PDF DOCUMENT prior to submission to ensure it is legible and complete. Submit online through Blackboard Turnitin. More details will be provided on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions are limited to ensure timely feedback to other students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The exam will be two hours and will cover all topics from the course.
The final exam will be held during the examination period at a time and place set by Examinations Section. Important reminders and notices will be posted on Blackboard.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes , single sided, is permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0% - 29% |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30% - 46% |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47% - 49% |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50% - 64% |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65% - 74% |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75% - 84% |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85% - 100% |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
A student’s final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Plagiarism
The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. Further information on plagiarism and how to avoid an allegation of plagiarism is available in this course profile under Policies and Procedures. Please refer to the Academic Integrity Modules (AIM). It is strongly recommended that you complete the AIM if you have not already done so.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 1. Set Theory, Logic & Review of Algebra Essentials of set theory and logic; Real numbers; exponents; algebra; inequalities and intervals. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 2. Summation, Solving Equations Summation notation; Reviewing methods of solving equations Learning outcomes: L01 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1 Set theory, Logic & Review of Algebra Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 3. Functions of One Variable Linear functions; quadratic functions; polynomials; power, exponential and logarithmic functions; graphs of functions; inverse functions. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2 Summation & Solving equations Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 4. Calculus 1 Basic concepts; rules of differentiation. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 3 Functions of one variable. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 5. Calculus 2 Derivatives in Use - Implicit differentiation, linear and polynomial approximations, Taylor's Formula Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4 Calculus 1 Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 6. Calculus 3 Single variable optimisation; determination of extreme points; local extreme points. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5 Calculus 2 Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 7. Calculus 4 Partial derivatives and multivariate optimization. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6 Calculus 3 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
No Lecture or Tutorials No Lecture as Friday is a public holiday. No tutorials. |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Semester Break No lecture or tutorials |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 8. Calculus 5 Lagrange Multiplier; Introduction to constrained optimization, applications. Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7 Calculus 4 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 9. Calculus 6 Basic concepts of integration; indefinite and definite integrals; integration by parts; integration by substitution Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8 Calculus 5 Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 10. Matrix Algebra 1 and 2 Introduction to linear algebra: matrix notation, matrix and vector operations. Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 9 Calculus 6 Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 11. Matrix Algebra 3 Solving simultaneous equations; adjoint method for finding an inverse; introducing the Leontief input-output model Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 10 Matrix Algebra 1 & 2 Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Lecture 12. Review Lecture Exam preparation and a review of the course content Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 11 Matrix Algebra 3 Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.