IEGR 461: Operations Research, Deterministic Models
Continuation of IEGR 361: Introduction to Linear Programming with emphasis on integer programming, network modeling and analysis and sequencing and scheduling. Topics include: branch and bound and cutting plane algorithms for integer programming; maximal flow - minimal cut, traveling salesman problem and their solution approaches, shortest route problem and its solution algorithms (Dijkstra’s algorithm) for network analysis; job shop and flow shop scheduling problems with emphasis on three machine flow shop problem and Salimian's algorithm; goal programming and its solution approaches. The course is project and research oriented.

Plus one of the textbooks by Winston, Hiller & Lieberman or Taha

Hillier, F. S., and G. J. Lieberman, Introduction to Operations Research, 11th Edition, McGraw-Hill, ISBN-10: 1259872998, ISBN-13: 9781259872990. [Link]

Taha, H., Operations Research: An Introduction, 10th Edition, Pearson, 2017. ISBN-13: 978-0134444017, ISBN-10: 0134444019 [Link]

Winston, W. L., Operations Research, Applications and Algorithms, 4th Edition, Duxbury Press (ITP), 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0534380588, ISBN-10: 0534380581 [Link]

To introduce students to the applications of engineering science to complex deterministic problems arising in the management of large systems of men, machines, materials, and money in industry, business, government, and defense. To expose students to modeling tools with which to control, predict and compare the outcomes of alternative decisions and strategies.

Math 241 and Junior Standing for IEGR 361. IEGR 361 for IEGR 461.

- Vectors and matrices manipulations & definitions;
- Matrix operations,
- Determinant of square matrix,
- Inverse of a matrix;
- Quadratic forms,
- Principal minor;
- Convex and concave functions and convex sets.

Linear Programming (Introduction, Modeling, and Solution Methods)

- Solving systems of linear equations,
- Plotting linear equations and inequalities,
- Graphical solutions,
- Extreme points and feasible region;
- Introduction to linear programming and formulation of LP models,
- Objective functions and constraints and optimal solutions;
- Principles of the simplex method; standard form,
- Simplex method in tableau form,
- Finding feasible solutions and performing iterations;
- Revised simplex method;
- Sensitivity Analysis;
- Duality theory and applications;
- Computer solutions of LP.

Attendance:

Please consult the university handbook regarding the university's attendance policy. If for any reason you miss a class, it will be your responsibility to obtain class notes, handouts, etc. from your classmates and to keep in touch with the progress made in class.

Topics:

The content of the course is divided into 8 separate topics. Each topic introduces a new technique or concept generally built on the concepts and techniques introduced in preceding topics. To pass a topic successfully, students need to pass three separate stages as follows:

1. Practice Presentation Stage: After the lecture is completed for a topic, the instructor will announce that the class is "On the Clock" for that topic. deadlines are announced and students from that point can meet with the instructor and make their topic presentation. A presentation consists of student preparing a sample problem of his/her own choice, bring it to the instructor and explaining how it is solved. The goal of this stage is for the instructor to "get a sense" that student has enough understanding of the material and his/her write up, calculations and explanations are accurate, professional and well-documented. In case that they are not, the student will need to modify the presentation, incorporate suggested modification and make another presentation until he/she passes that topic presentation or the deadline for the topic presentation is reached. See the specific guidelines in Guidelines and Recommendations section.

2. Take Home Homework Stage: When student passes Practice Presentation Stage, he/she will receive an individualized homework assignment with a 24-hour time period to submit the solution. Work submitted any day is graded and ready for pick up the next day. A student that does not pass the homework and still has at least 24 hours before the deadline for practice presentation, will be given a new homework.

3. Topic Test Stage: All students who successfully complete the second stage will participate in a class room exam of that topic. The successful result of this stage will give the student "one passed topic". At least 6 passed topics are required to pass the course.

Guidelines and Recommendations:

1. You need to obtain a 70 to 100 Sheet Black Marble Composition Book. This notebook should be used for two main purposes: (1) - notes you are taking in the class, notes from watching videos and notes from additional problems you are doing to improve your skills, and (2) - your presentation problem. All writings in the notebook must be hand-written. Even if you use a tablet to digitally take notes, you must convert those notes to your notebook. You need to bring this notebook to your presentation and demonstrate/discuss your topic presentation problem. You need to demonstrate proper knowledge about the problem you are presenting. You will be sitting across from me with your notebook open in my direction. Practice before presenting. Remember that you will be looking at your notebook upside-down during the presentation.

2. All work in stage 2 must be computer processed. The only exceptions are on plots and graphs that hand-drawn plots on engineering graph papers are accepted, although strongly discouraged. You are strongly encouraged to use graphic capabilities of word processors to prepare the homework reports. Any works submitted must be submitted stapled together and placed inside a pocket folder. Each assignment must have its own cover page with this format. Folders should be turned in before the due time in my office. A sample folder submission guideline can be found here. Please note that some of the instruction in that page may not be applicable to you.
3. The selection of the problem for presentation, its size, complexity and origin are strictly student's preference and can be the sample problem that the instructor used in his lecture, or a problem from a textbook. However, a general recommendation is to make the presentation problem not a very simple problem.
4. Deadlines are strictly enforced. Please manage your time so your efforts can be rewarded. Late submissions will not pass at any stage.
5. There is one allowable Email submission for the homework during the semester. It should be used for a time that you have finished the work but are away from the school and can not submit your work in person before the deadline. In such a case, you can email the completed work before the deadline and on the next day or earlier, bring the printed copy for grading. The printed submission MUST BE EXACTLY the same as the one emailed before the deadline.
6. All students are required to participate in a Google group list. All class communications, important deadlines, helpful instructions and up-to-date information are sent through that list. All individual communications will be through the instructor's schools email. Student are encouraged to use the group and build a community of learning through discussion and helping each other. When you send an email to me, please make sure to use the course designation (i.e., IEGR 361, IEGR 461, etc.) in the subject line of your email plus some text that identifies what the email is about. Only use my school email for individual communication during the semester.
7. When you are required to submit a computer file, you may submit it either by email to the instructor or on a CD/DVD along with your folder. CD or DVD media submitted should only contain the final version of the work and must be turned in with the report. Emailed files should be submitted before the deadline. The name of the files must be included in your written report. All reports should be in PDF format. File names should follow this guideline: Start the file name with your first and last initials in capital letters followed by an underscore (example, MS_ ), continued with course number designation followed by an underscore (example, MS_461_ or MS_IEGR461_, or MS_IEGR_461_) and followed by some meaningful name related to the homework assignments (example, MS_IEGR440_assignment3_problem1). 

Course Portfolio:

Please visit a separate page describing the course portfolio requirements in details.

Effort Points:

As mentioned in General Policies section, the only tangible points for passing the course comes from passing the topics tests and assignments outside the topics are not considered of direct help in passing the course. However, it is strongly recommended that you participate in class discussions, and in active community of learning for the course. If you you are doing additional work and, that work will enhance your portfolio. That is even applied to the work that did not pass a topic and the amount of effort that you put in that topic before not passing the topic and after that. Or, the work you do to comply with the requirements of the class to make the management of the class easier. For example, when you are asked to, "send an email to my school email by 5:00pm today and it should contain these information ..." there is certainly a difference between those who comply and those who do not, even though that is an intangible point.

Discussion Group & Community of Learning:

Any specific information about the course, calendar of events, assignments and deadlines are posted to discussion groups. All class students have been added to the class discussion group. All information about a any specific semester is posted to the discussion group. Any change, modification, or adjustment to the extended syllabus are posted to the discussion group and they will will become part of the syllabus for that semester. Discussion groups are also used as resources for the community of learning. They can be used to post questions, comments, and information dissemination by members of the class.