Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesOperations Research (B-KUL-HBE13E)
De Boeck Liesje (coordinator) | Belien Jeroen | Vermuyten Hendrik (substitute) | De Boeck Liesje Aims
Upon completion of this course, the student can:
- formulate an IP (integer program) (with a focus mainly on logical conditions and quality of formulations), solve the problem using software, manually work out easy problems through branch-and-bound, clearly understand how recent commercial linear solvers operate
- recognize and solve some efficiently solvable IPs (flow problems, shortest path,...) and understand the connection between these problems as all being 'network problems'
- form a clear picture of the analysis of algorithms in their worst-case behaviour, describe the link with difficulty of problems, have a thorough insight in complexity theory and the importance of the question 'P = NP?'
- solve combinatorial problems by means of dynamic programming recursion, including decision problems under uncertainty
- recognize, model and analyze queuing systems in practice.
Previous knowledge
If the student wants to follow this course, it is advisable to have successfully completed the following course first:
- Linear Optimisation (HBE07E).
If the student wants to follow this course, it is advisable to have completed the following course first:
- Probability Theory and Descriptive Statistics (HBE08E).
Identical courses
This course is identical to the following courses:
D0H28A : Operationeel onderzoek (HIR)
HBN68B : Operationeel onderzoek
D0X33A : Operationeel onderzoek (HIR)
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
6 ects. Operations Research (B-KUL-HBE13e)
EnglishFormat: Lecture
52 
Second termBelien Jeroen | Vermuyten Hendrik (substitute) | De Boeck Liesje Content
1. Integer programming: problem formulations including quality of formulations, branch-and-bound, cutting-planes, heuristics
2. Network models: transportation problems, assignment problems, transshipment problems, shortest path, maximum flow, minimum cost flow, CPM
3. Dynamic programming
4. Analysis of algorithms and complexity theory
5. Queueing theory
Course material
Recommended study material: Winston, Operations Research: Applications and Algorithms, 4th edition, 2003, Brooks-Cole Publishing.
Language of instruction: more information
The course is taught in English.
Format: more information
Computer session - Individual assignment - Traditional lecture
Interactive formal lectures: During formal lectures the theoretical knowledge will be dealt with in detail. When possible, the students are expected to interact (lively).
Self-study: The compulsory course material and slides offer the students additional exercises to accumulate their knowledge independently.
LINGO: Students will get a computer session to get familiar with the LINGO software and will be assigned an individual homework (see also evaluation).
Evaluation
Evaluation: Operations Research (B-KUL-H75220)
Explanation
First exam period:
Students will be evaluated on the basis of a written exam. The exam consists of two parts (one part concerning the theory dealt with by Liesje De Boeck and one part concerning the theory dealt with by Jeroen Beliën). Both parts consist of some exercises (the exercises relate to testing theoretical knowledge and insight, recognizing different types of optimization problems, model formulation, model solving, relations between problem types, interpreting output,...). The total exam (for both parts) is closed book and is meant to take 3 hours. The students are allowed to bring their calculator to the exam; the standard formulas for each part, which are known beforehand, will be available at the written exam. Each part is evaluated by the respective lecturer-in-charge and counts for one half in the final result. Only this final result is important. A student who does not succeed (who has less than 10/20 on this final result), has an exam resit for both parts (although he passed for one part). The students will have to make a homework, related to LINGO. This homework is graded as follows: in case of a "good" homework, the exam point is rounded up; otherwise it is rounded down.
Information about retaking exams
The evaluation methods during the first and second exam period are identical.