| Mathematical Methods for Economics

Economies are shaped by many agents making choices under incentives and constraints, and mathematics gives us the precise language to describe their interactions. This course introduces the fundamental mathematical techniques used in economic theory – algebra and functions to linear algebra, differential calculus and optimisation, and shows how to apply them to model and solve economic problems (matrix methods for systems of equations; unconstrained and constrained optimisation for utility maximisation, price and wage determination, etc.). Early sessions refresh key mathematical preliminaries; thereafter lectures and problem-solving exercises build fluency in mathematical reasoning and its application to real economic contexts. By the end of the course students should have a solid quantitative foundation for microeconomics and econometrics, and the tools to think critically about economic analysis.