MMESS
Fall 2014
Homework 3
1.- Complete the work done in class designed to determine reliable estimate values for recent
electricity, energy consumption and population figures in the US and the World. Express those
values in kW-hr, Joule, BTU, Barrels of Oil Equivalent and Tonnes of Oil Equivalent per person
per day also the calculated totals for the US and World population per year.
2.- Perform least squares regression analysis of the energy consumption and population data you
obtained assuming exponential growth (i.e. y = y0*exp(r t) ) and create forecasts of energy and
population for US and the World for the next 20 years. Experiment making small changes in the
values of the growth parameter r to create a range of forecasts.
3.- Review carefully the tables of contents of the four recommended textbooks for this class. Get
a good understanding of the overall contents in each case, identify topics of greatest personal
interest to you and be prepared to talk about all this in class next week.
4.- Review the collection of supplementary readings created for you by your instructor. Focus
specially on the Energy collection and identify at least a couple of topical potential areas of
personal interest that could serve as the origin of research project topic.