Ventana software support forum

Hi,


I am trying to understand the mathematics behind system dynamics models.


could you please suggest some resources to read (maybe with very simple examples)?

attached to this post is a file that I have found, however it is complicated for those with non-engineering background.


thanks.

Hi

The need of mathematics is extremely variable, depending on what you are doing with SD.

What do you do with SD?

Regards.

JJ

I am asking this in the context of the managing supply chains and inventory.
I am looking for simple examples that shows how the matematics of system dynamics works.
when runing a simple model, say population with one stock only, it looks very intuitive to see the behavior. however, the matematic and calculation behind it, is not
that simple to undestand. I would appreciate if you could provide simple examples here or refer me to some resources.
thanks.

Hi Arman

I think that you may over estimate the capacity of mathematics to explain certain reality. If it was the case, SD would be useless.

If you understand intuitively a model, this is enough, and I do not see the utility to add a mathematical explanation. Anyhow when the model gets more complicated, there is no more any mathematics to explain anything.

I do not pretend that in some cases, mathematics may not be useful, but SD by itself is already enough time consuming, that there is no need to spend additional time studying things for no result.

Abundance of knowledge may be misleading, because knowing a method, you may be tempted to use it and if it not adapted, it will make you lose your time and during that time, you will not spend the necessary time to find a more adapted solution.

In SD, the necessary mathematics to be known, is mainly basic probability and statistics.

Regards.
JJ

hi- thanks for the explnations. i think my question is probabaly not well undestood. I am not asking what are the necessary mathematics to develop system dynamics models. perhaps a basic knowledge of algebra
would probably be enough to develop or at least understand the basic models. what I am looking for is the matematics of solving that simple models and
what actually happens when you click run in a SD software.

Look at the Vensim reference guide, mathematical foundation, especially computational sequence.

Regards.

JJ