Mathematics and the Pharmacokinetics of Alcohol

Abstract

Alcohol is the most widely consumed recreational drug in the world and is commonly regarded as an essential component of Australian culture. However, alcohol is also a major contributor to mortality and morbidity not only in Australia but also around the world. Whilst alcohol-related education is typically considered from social and medical perspectives, it is also an area that provides a range of mathematically rich investigations. This chapter discusses mathematical modelling of blood alcohol content (BAC) levels. The investigations detailed enable teachers of a range of year levels to develop students’ mathematical abilities and also their social understanding of alcohol-related issues. The mathematics of the investigations includes functions, graphing, derivatives, integration, and mathematical modelling and reasoning.