CEN 4400 - INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS
RESEARCH – Mon-Wed 4:00-5:15
FALL SEMESTER 2009 - ROOM
79/179
NOTE: This is a “blended” eLearning
course, with some days in class and some days on line. Pay close attention to the schedule!
Text Problem Solutions (Word
files) Ch2 Ch3
Ch14
Ch15 Ch4 Ch13 Ch7 Ch8 Ch9 Ch10
Text PowerPoint files Ch1
Ch2
Ch3
Ch14
Ch15 Ch4
Ch13
Ch7
Ch8
Ch9
Ch10
LP
Graph LP sensitivityI LP sensitivityII
Dr. Ed Rodgers BLDG 79 ROOM
124 474-2581 erodgers@uwf.edu
OFFICE HOURS: W 1:15-3:30
TEXT: Render and
Stair, QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS FOR MANAGEMENT, 10th Ed.,
Prentice-Hall, 2009
Prerequisites:
statistics (prerequisite) and a strongly recommended course in calculus (at
least as a co-requisite). If you take the course without the
prerequisites, you are taking personal responsibility for whatever performance
that you achieve.
TEXT CD SOFTWARE:
Two software programs are
provided on the CD: POM-QM for Windows and Excel QM. The use of these programs is recommended for
you to check your understanding of the problem solutions. Although all the exercises in the text could
be solved manually, certain problems are much more easily solved with the
computer programs. Installation
instructions are provided in Appendix E and Appendix F in the text.
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT:
Dr. Rodgers is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the
Dr. Rodgers has published articles and made presentations at a variety of
professional meetings in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia
in the fields of management, operations research and computer
science. His practical experience includes positions in operations
research and systems engineering with the IBM, Armor and Milliken
corporations. He has also served as a consultant and an expert witness in
the fields of systems and operations research. He has been active in
professional organizations such as ACM, TIMS, ORSA and DSI. He is a
member of the Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Upsilon
GRADING:
EXAMS I through IV (2 in-class, 2 take-home):
you may drop or miss one of these 20-point exams: (60%)
DISCUSSION EXERCISES: (10%)
PROJECT (two-or-three-person team---may also be individual): (30%)
NOTE: Students are expected to complete work and take exams on schedule. Because you may drop one exam, NO MAKE-UP EXAMS will be
given. Please discuss any known problems with me in advance so
that appropriate arrangements may be made. The grade of
"incomplete" is not normally allowed, and is reserved for a most
unusual emergency---and only then if at least 70% of the course has been
completed.
Note: A Q&A Discussion Section is available
through the course site on eLearning.
Use this Q&A site (NOT email) for questions about exercises or course
material so that ALL students may benefit from the responses. You may use email for non-course-related
communications specific to you.
PROJECT REPORTS:
The individual or two-or three-person team project consists of an
application of one of the techniques from the class to a real or realistic
hypothetical situation. Report will consist of a one-page typed executive
summary of the background and conclusions, one-page typed description and
approach to the situation, a variable number of typed (or handwritten but
legible) pages of analysis and solution, and an appendix of data, mathematical
solutions, computer printouts, etc. A typical project report consists of
about 6-8 pages. Creativity and realism are important in these projects.
PROJECT PRESENTATION (6-7 minutes---practice! use PowerPoint):
The ppt should include a brief overview of project, description of quantitative techniques applied, sample results (screen shots, calculations, etc.), and conclusion
CLASS MEETING SCHEDULE AND TOPICS COVERED
Note: This schedule is subject to change because of grant and professional meeting travel
requirements--frequently check this web site
for latest information!
NOTE:
In addition to these practice problems, study text examples and solved problems
to enhance your understanding
DATE
TOPIC
_________ HOMEWORK PRACTICE PROBLEMS_(for
your own use, not turned in)---See the Word
files in the above links for problem solutions
M 24 Aug CH1: Intro to
Modeling/Problem Solving, CH2: Review of Probability/Statistics
W 26 Aug CH2: Review of Probability/Statistics, problems CH2: 18,21,22,31,37,38
M 31 Aug NO CLASS MEETING --- Go over practice
problems and solutions and take self-test
W 02 Sep NO
CLASS MEETING --- DISCUSSION RESEARCH
Go to the Discussion Section in eLearning and follow
instructions on posting Discussion content
M 07 Sep LABOR DAY --- NO CLASS MEETING ---- Go over practice problems and solutions
W 09 Sep CH3:
Decision Analysis, problems CH3: 19,20,25,27,28,29
(also 25 by marginal analysis---see p. 227-229)
M 14 Sep NO
CLASS MEETING --- DISCUSSION RESEARCH---- Go over practice problems and solutions
and take self test
Go to the Discussion Section in eLearning and follow
instructions on posting Discussion content
W 16 Sep NO CLASS MEETING ***** WORK ON EXAM I (TAKE HOME due 20 Sep) ***** CH 2, 3
Go to the Content Section in eLearning and follow
instructions on submitting the Exam I Excel Answer Sheet
M
21 Sep CH14: Queuing, problems CH14: 11,12,14
W
23 Sep continuation of problems
CH14: 11,12,14
M
28 Sep CH15: Simulation, problems
CH15: 15,23,26
W
30 Sep continuation of problems CH
15: 15,23,26,
M
05 Oct Simulation: other examples
W
07 Oct ***** EXAM II (IN-CLASS) ***** CH 14, 15
M 12 Oct CH4: Regression Models,
problems CH4: 13,14,15,27,28
W 14 Oct continuation
of problems CH4: 13,14,15,27,28
M 19 Oct CH13:
Project Networks, problems CH13: 16,17,18,19
W 21 Oct continuation
of problems CH13: 16,17,18,19
M 26 Oct
NO CLASS MEETING ---- Go over practice problems and
solutions and work on exam
W 28 Oct NO CLASS MEETING ***** WORK ON EXAM III (TAKE HOME due 1 Nov) ***** CH
4, 13
Go to the content in eLearning and follow instructions on
submitting the Excel Answer Sheet
M 02
Nov CH7: Linear Programming, problems
CH7: 17,18,22,34
W 04 Nov continuation
of problems CH7: 17,18,22,34
M 09 Nov CH8:
Linear Programming, problems CH8: 1,4
explanation of LP computer results
W 11 Nov VETERANS
DAY --- NO CLASS MEETING ---- Go over practice problems and solutions
EXTRA CREDIT
(DUE NOV. 23). Counts 20 points---the grade will
be averaged with your second lowest grade
(you get to drop
the lowest one). For example, if your grades for exams 1-4 are 17, 12, 16, 15,
then you drop the 12.
If you get all 20 of the
extra credit, then (15+20) / 2 = 17.5. Your grades would then be
17, 16, 17.5. You would have
raised exam
4 from a 15 to a 17.5.
Solve the following text examples using the
computer software: p312 Media Selection, p325 Portfolio Selection,
p326
Transportation Problem, p333 Diet Problem, and p335 Blending Problem. Using the
provided software, print the
results
table and the solution list, or use Word or Adobe Acrobat to document screen
shots of the computer solutions.
For each problem, you should show the
original input screen and the final solution screens that show the answers.
Bring these to class
no later than Monday, November 23 (do not submit to eLearning).
M 16 Nov CH9:
LP Simplex Method, problems CH9: 21,22
W 18 Nov continuation
of problems CH9:40,42,19,27
M 23 Nov CH10:
Assignment Model, problems CH10: 30,34, EXAM IV TAKE-HOME EXAM POSTED
W 25 Nov *****
THANKSGIVING EVE - NO CLASS
MEETING (work on project and exam) *****
M 30 Nov ***** EXAM IV (IN-CLASS PART) ***** CH 7, 8, 9, 10
***** EXAM IV (TAKE-HOME PART DUE---BRING TO CLASS)
W 02 Dec ***** PROJECT PRESENTATIONS *****
M 07 Dec EXAM WEEK, NO MONDAY CLASS
W 09 Dec ***** PROJECT PRESENTATIONS *****
**** TURN IN PROJECT REPORT *****
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Course
provides an application of fundamental concepts of probability, statistics, and
basic quantitative techniques to the development and solution of various quantitaitve models to aid in decision making.
Prerequisite: statistics and a course in calculus.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
The
purpose of the course is to provide a foundation for quantitative model
building and decision modeling.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER COURSES AND THE PROFESSION
Although
CS, CIS, and other students may not be involved in quantitative applications as
a primary focus in their careers, a solid foundation in quantitative problem
analysis, modeling, implementation, and interpretation is excellent practice
for a structured, disciplined approach to analyzing systems, and solving any
kind of problem, whether behavioral or quantitative in nature. These
ideas are relevant and may be applied to situations in many other courses in
the curriculum, and many of the techniques may be applied to improve decision
making in personal and professional life as well.
PLAGARISM - CHEATING
Students are expected to do their own work. although the
term project may possibly be a team-oriented effort. Under no
circumstances will cheating on examinations be tolerated. Such behavior
could result in failure of the course and suspension.
The Student Code of Conduct sets forth the rules, regulations and expected
behavior of students enrolled at the University of West Florida. Violations of
any rules, regulations, or behavioral expectations may result in a charge of
violating the Student Code of Conduct. It is the student’s responsibility
to read the Student Code of Conduct and conduct themselves accordingly.
You may access the current Student Code of Conduct at http://www.uwf.edu/judicialaffairs.
Questions? call
Dr. Rodgers at 474-2542 (office) or
E-mail Dr. Rodgers: erodgers@uwf.edu