- Academic Registry
Course & Unit Catalogues


MA30087: Optimisation methods of operational research

[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]

Academic Year: 2023/24
Owning Department/School: Department of Mathematical Sciences
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EX 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you must ( take MA10207 AND take MA10210 ) OR ( take CM10311 AND take CM10312 ) OR ( take CM10196 AND take CM10197 ) OR ( take MA10274 AND take MA10210 )
Learning Outcomes: On completing the course, students should be able to
* Recognise practical problems where optimisation methods can be used effectively
* Implement appropriate algorithms, and understand their procedures
* Understand the underlying theory of linear programming problems, especially duality.


Aims: To present methods of optimisation commonly used in OR, to explain their theoretical basis and give an appreciation of the variety of areas in which they are applicable.

Content: The Nature of OR: Brief introduction. Linear Programming: Basic solutions and the fundamental theorem. The simplex algorithm, two phase method for an initial solution. Interpretation of the optimal tableau. Applications of LP. Duality. Topics selected from: Sensitivity analysis and the dual simplex algorithm. Brief discussion of Karmarkar's method. The transportation problem and its applications, solution by Dantzig's method. Network flow problems, the Ford-Fulkerson theorem. Non-linear Programming: Revision of classical Lagrangian methods. Kuhn-Tucker conditions, necessity and sufficiency. Illustration by application to quadratic programming.

Course availability:

MA30087 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Computer Science
  • USCM-AFB06 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAB07 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USCM-AKB07 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USCM-AFB27 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAB27 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USCM-AKB27 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USCM-AFB20 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAB20 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USCM-AKB20 : BSc(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USCM-AFM01 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAM02 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science with Study year abroad (Year 3)
  • USCM-AKM02 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science with Year long work placement (Year 3)
  • USCM-AFM27 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAM27 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with Study year abroad (Year 3)
  • USCM-AKM27 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence with Year long work placement (Year 3)
  • USCM-AFM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics (Year 3)
  • USCM-AAM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 3)
  • USCM-AKM14 : MComp(Hons) Computer Science and Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 3)
Department of Economics
  • UHES-AFB04 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Mathematics (Year 3)
  • UHES-AAB04 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UHES-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UHES-ACB04 : BSc(Hons) Economics and Mathematics with Combined Placement and Study Abroad (Year 4)
Department of Mathematical Sciences
  • USMA-AFB15 : BSc(Hons) Mathematical Sciences (Year 3)
  • USMA-AAB16 : BSc(Hons) Mathematical Sciences with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKB16 : BSc(Hons) Mathematical Sciences with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USMA-AFB13 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics (Year 3)
  • USMA-AAB14 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKB14 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USMA-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Statistics (Year 3)
  • USMA-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Statistics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Statistics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USMA-AFB20 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science (Year 3)
  • USMA-AAB06 : BSc(Hons) Statistics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKB06 : BSc(Hons) Statistics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USMA-AFM14 : MMath(Hons) Mathematics (Year 3)
  • USMA-AFM14 : MMath(Hons) Mathematics (Year 4)
  • USMA-AAM15 : MMath(Hons) Mathematics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKM15 : MMath(Hons) Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USMA-AKM15 : MMath(Hons) Mathematics with Year long work placement (Year 5)
Department of Physics
  • USXX-AFB03 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics (Year 3)
  • USXX-AAB04 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USXX-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics (Year 4)
  • USXX-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • USXX-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Mathematics and Physics with Year long work placement (Year 5)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.