618-261 Introduction to Operations Research

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Objectives:

On completion of this subject, students should:

Comprehend:

• the essential features of operations research methods and the type of problems they can solve;

• a number of basic mathematical techniques used to solve typical generic problems;

• the theoretical foundations of these techniques;

• the essential role that computers play in the analysis and solutions of operations research problems.

Have developed:

• basic skills required to construct formal mathematical models for practical optimisation problems;

• skills needed to solve linear programming problems with and to assess the results;

• skills to make use of the relationship between primal and dual linear programming problems;

• skills in using dynamic programming techniques in the modelling analysis and solution of operations research problems;

• skills in formulating and solving critical path problems with the aid of dynamic programming and linear programming techniques;

• skills in conducting sensitivity analysis in the context of a number of operations research problems.

Appreciate:

• the extent and limitations of a number of operations research techniques such as linear programming, dynamic programming and sensitivity analysis in the context of real-world problems;

• the important role that standard mathematical tools play in the development of these techniques;

• why computers are so important in solving real-world optimisation problems of the operational research type.

Content:

Selected topics from: mathematical modelling, linear programming, simplex and revised simplex methods, duality theory, sensitivity analysis, integer programming, sequential decision processes, dynamic programming, shortest path and critical path problems, knapsack problem, travelling salesman problem, applications of operations research techniques to real-world problems; use of computer packages and Internet resources.

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