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Life tables and intrinsic rate of increase
Posted:
Aug 4, 1996 11:58 PM
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Hi,
I am examining (new for me) a construct called a "life table" and am
using an equation due to Lotka:
1=sum(x=0,M,l_x*m_x*exp(-r*x)) %(Lotka's equation)
I have the following data:
û x=(0:5)';
û l_x=[1 .98 .95 .5 .3 0]';
û m_x=[0 0 0 3 4 0]';
I need to solve Lotka's equation for the intrinsic rate of natural
increase, r. I would like to do this using Matlab, but without referring
to any of Matlab's various toolboxes. For example, could I use fzero.m
to solve this equation? Are there other ways?
Actually, I would be interested in seeing a number of techniques. That
would broaden my capability with Matlab and most likely open new
insight.
Thanks,
--
David Arnold
College of the Redwoods
Eureka, California 95501
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