Lahore University of Management Sciences

MATH341 Operations Research-I

Spring 2015-16
Instructor
Room No.
Office Hours
Email
Telephone
Secretary/TA
TA Office Hours
Course URL (if any)

Kamran Rashid
Room 9-245, Maths Wing, Level-2, SSE
TBA
kamran@lums.edu.pk
042-35608020
Noreen Irshad / TBA
TBA
TBA

Course Basics
Credit Hours
Lecture(s)
Recitation/Lab (per week)
Tutorial (per week)

4
Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week
Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week
Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week

Duration
Duration
Duration

100 minutes

Course Distribution
Core
Elective
Open for Student
Category
Close for Student
Category

Offered to Juniors, but following may also enroll:

Sophomores, Seniors, Masters, PhD
Freshmen

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Operations research has had an increasingly great impact on the management of organizations, including
business, government, and military. Operations research involves formulation of real life situations into
mathematical models, and then developing optimal solutions by application of various algorithms. The
purpose of this course is to provide an appreciation of various techniques used in operations research, and
their application in developing optimal solutions for real life problems.

COURSE PREREQUISITE(S)
None

Lahore University of Management Sciences

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course the students will be able to:

Formulate a real life situation into a mathematical model

Develop an optimal solution for the problem using appropriate algorithm
Interpret the optimal solution, and perform post-optimality analysis
Develop mathematical insight for popular algorithms developed to solve mathematical
programs

Grading Breakup and Policy

Assignments:

10%

Quizzes:

20%

Midterm Examination:

30 %

Final Examination:

40%

Examination Detail

Midterm
Exam

Yes/No:
Yes
Combine Separate: Separate
Duration:
90 minutes
Preferred Date:
8th week
Exam Specifications: Closed Book/Closed Notes/No Help Sheet/ Calculator allowed

Yes/No:
Combine Separate:
Final Exam
Duration:
Exam Specifications:

Yes
Separate
120 min
Closed Book/Closed Notes/No Help Sheet/ Calculator allowed

Lahore University of Management Sciences

COURSE OVERVIEW
Session

Topic

Recommended
Readings
Chapter 1

1.

Introduction to Operations Research (OR),

Linear Programming (LP)

2.

LP formulations (Product Mix problems, Diet problems,

Blending problems)

2,3
Handout

LP formulations (Scheduling problems, Transportation

problems, Assignment problems)

3.

LP formulations (Multi-period problems, Balancing

problems) Assumptions of Linear Programming

4.

Graphical Solutions

Simplex Algorithm

Simplex Method in Tabular Form

Adaptations of Simplex Algorithm

Big M Method,
Two Phase Method

9.

Use of Computer to Solve LP Models

(MS Excel, LINDO )

10.

5.
6.
7.
8.

11.
12.
13.
14.

Post-optimality Analysis
Revised Simplex Method

4,5
Handout
5

Duality Theory

Role of Duality in Post-Optimality Analysis

MID TERM
15.

Lahore University of Management Sciences

The Transportation Problem,
Properties of Transportation Problem

Generating Basic Feasible Solutions for Transportation

problem,
North-West Rule, Vogel Approximation Method

Transportation Simplex Method

Adaptations of Transportation Simplex Method

The Transshipment Problem

23

19.

20.

The Assignment Problem,

Hungarian Method

16.

17.

18.

21.
22.
23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

8
Handout

Network Models

Algorithm for Solving Minimum Spanning Tree,

Algorithm for Solving Shortest Path Problems

Solving Maximum Flow Problems

Minimum Cost Flow Problem,

Upper Bound Technique,
Network Simplex Method

Applications of OR in Project Management,

Critical Path Method (CPM)

22

Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

22

Activity Crashing ,
Cost-Time Trade-Off Analysis

22

Using LP for CPM, and Activity Crashing

22

Textbook(s)/Supplementary Readings
Introduction to Operations Research:
(8th Edition ) by Hillier & Lieberman

Lahore University of Management Sciences

CLASS POLICY
ATTENDANCE

Attendance in classes is highly recommended, but not mandatory

However, if you do decide to join, you are not allowed to leave the class before its completion without
the permission of the instructor

QUIZZES

Expect a short quiz at the start of almost every class

In case you miss a quiz, you may submit a Missed-Quiz petition. However, only one missed quiz
petition is accepted in normal circumstances
We will be dropping at least three quizzes from the final grade (the final number of dropped quizzes
depends on the classs negotiation skill ) . However, this dropped quiz policy will only be applicable
for students who have missed less than three quizzes during the semester

ASSIGNMNETS

There will be a total of 2-4 assignments

You may work in teams of maximum of two persons for your assignments
Detailed instructions will be provided for each assignment

CELL PHONES AND SIMILAR DEVICES

Use of cell phones and similar devices is not permissible during the class
Your phones should not be visible or heard during the class

CALCULATOR

You may need to bring your calculator for the quizzes and exams
Cell phones may not be used as calculators