Build real-life finance applications. The principal ideas require simple mathematics, but producing fruitful results may require some understanding of statistics and Monte-Carlo simulations. Students will have a chance to write a report, present their results, and apply to their daily needs.

An upper-division mathematical model class is appropriate. This is more of a project where several groups of students are asked to learn about the finance app subject, develop mathematical models, code up, and work collectively to build a suite of apps.

A sample project: Best time to collect social security benefits.
Max Social Security Benefits (Acrobat (PDF) 998kB Oct7 25)
main code (Matlab File 4kB Oct7 25)
calc early factor (Matlab File 403bytes Oct7 25)
calc delayed factor (Matlab File 343bytes Oct7 25)
calc spousal factor (Matlab File 413bytes Oct7 25)

A set of slides has been submitted that would be beneficial to the students.

Students will achieve the learning goals if they can accurately provide information on social security benefits, show related mathematical models, and predict the total social security benefits based on some well-defined options.

https://www.ssa.gov/retirement
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/calculators/