What is Operations Research?

What is Operations Research?

1. Iris Alejandra González Pérez A00368747

2. Taha, H. (Ed.). (1971). What is Operations Research? En Operations Research An Introduction (pp. 31–36). Ed Pearson.

3. Important decision-making questions

   • What are the decision alternatives?
   • Under what restrictions is the decision made?
   • What is an appropriate object criteria for evaluating the alternatives?

4. 3 main components of an OR model

   • Alternatives
   • Objective criterion
   • Constraints

5. Two types of solutions

   • FEASIBLE - if it satisfies all constraints
   • OPTIMAL - in addition to being feasible, it yields the best value of the objetive function

6. OR does not offer a single general technique for solving all mathematical models

7. Solving OR Models

   • LINEAR - Models with linear objective and constraint functions
   • INTEGER - Variables assume integer values
   • DYNAMIC - Original model can be decomposed in smaller subproblems
   • NETWORK - The problem can be modeled as a network
   • NON LINEAR - Functions of the model are nonlinear

8. Solutions are determined by algorithms

9. When mathematical problemas are too complex seek for a good solution using Heuristics or Metaheuristics