Mathematical concepts

The purpose of mathematics is to apply specific techniques to solve problems. In medicine and the biomedical sciences, the answers to those problems may be solved using logic, algebra, geometry or statistics. The aim of this article is to review some basic mathematical concepts and demonstrate their relevance to current anaesthetic and critical care practice. When one variable y is mathematically related to another variable x, this relationship can be represented by the algebraic equation y = fn(x). The first variable is said to be a function (fn) of, or dependent on, the second. These relationships can be represented graphically by plotting the dependent variable on the vertical y-axis against the independent variable x on the horizontal axis. The graphic relationships explored in this article include the straight line, rectangular hyperbola, the sigmoid curve, exponentials and the sine wave. The concepts of differentiation, integration and trigonometry are also touched upon.