Explain the concept of a model and various ways a model can

Explain the concept of a model and various ways a model can be characterized

Solution

A model can be defined as a graphical, physical, mathematical (symbolic) or verbal representation or simplified version of any phenomenon, concept, structure, relationship, system or any dimension or aspect of the real world.

The different objectives of a model can be given as below:-

Facilitation of better understanding by removing unrequired elements,

Helping the decision making process by simulating ‘what if’ scenarios

To provide reasons, control and predict the different events depending on the past observations.

As most of the observations and phenomenon seems to be quite difficult and have lots of complexity to be comprehended in their entirety,, thus only those characteristics will be possessed by the model which are important primarily to the objectives of the maker.

These models can be any simple sketch to computer programs having millions of lines of codes but all these models will have one thing common i.e. some elements of the actual \'thing\' are abstracted or mapped (see mapping) into the model.

On the basis of abstraction degree, there are mainly three types of models:-

1:- Iconic mode:- these are the models which are least abstract, physical, look-alike models for example airplane or train

2:- Analogous model: These are the models which are more abstract but having some resemblance to what it represents, such as a chart, graph, map, network diagram

3:- Symbolic model: most-abstract model with no resemblance but only an approximation to what it represents, such as a mathematical equation or formula, financial statement, language, and set of accounts. See also mental models

Characteristics of a model:-