This book contains a number of nice applications of methods from linear algebra and linear differential- and difference equations to various models from biology and medicine. It may be used as an auxiliary text for lecture courses on linear algebra or differential equations in order to provide students with some motivations. In particular, the book contains numerous examples and exercises and many will require a computer for their solution.
The following topics are treated: matrix equations for discrete and continuous compartmental models, eigenvalue-eigenvector problems of linear differential- and difference equations, algorithms needed to implement these methods on a computer, discrete matrix models in population biology (Leslie matrices), non-homogeneous linear systems and applications to tracer methods in physiology, critical point analysis and various approximation methods for solving differential equations, models from systems ecology and sensitivity analysis.