Decision Methods

Code:

EA0026

Acronym:

MD

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Social Science

Instance: 2013/2014 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEA	56	Syllabus since 2006/07	3	-	6	56	162
MIEQ	1	Syllabus	5	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Decision Methods will be introduced as part of Operational Research - the science applied to best decisions. Main objectives: To motivate the students for the importance of application of Decision Methods and Optimisation Methods in the practice of Engineering and to facilitate fundamental skills and knowledge in these areas. Skills and learning outcomes: - identify and approach decision and optimisation problems in a structured way; - build models for decision problems; - use quantitative methods to obtain solutions for models; - use spreadsheets for the models analysis and solution generation; - begin to use the information extracted from the models to induce and motivate organizational changes.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course, students should be capable of:
- identifying and characterizing decision, optimisation and management problems related to situations of the real world;
-    representing the identified problems by mathematical models, graphs or simulations;
-    understanding and applying algorithms to solve different types of problems;
-    critically analysing the solutions.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Linear Algebra; Mathematical Analysis; Probability and Statistics

Program

1. Decision Methods integrated in Operational Research

2. Operational Research - introduction

3. Methodology of operational research

4. Decision and Optimisatiomn models

5. Decision analysis

6. Linear programming

7. Simplex method

8. Integer programming - a brief introduction

9. Transport, Transexpedition problems and Assignment problems

10. Graphs and networks - introduction

11. Maximum flow, shortest path and other well-known problems

12. Queuing systems

13. Multi-criteria decision problems

Mandatory literature

Hillier, Frederick S.; Introduction to operations research. ISBN: 0-07-118163-6
José Soeiro Ferreira; Investigação Operacional - Textos de apoio

Complementary Bibliography

Antunes, Carlos Henggeler 340; Casos de aplicação da investigação operacional. ISBN: 972-773-075-2
Clemen, Robert T.; Making hard decisions. ISBN: 0-534-92336-4
Tavares, Luís Valadares 070; Investigação operacional. ISBN: 972-8298-08-0
Mourão, Pinto, Simões, Valente, Pato; Investigação Operacional, Verlag, 2011. ISBN: 978-989-642-184-7

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes: Presentation of course unit themes, using methods of active learning whenever possible, illustrated by cases, examples and problems. Practical classes: Presentation and application of algorithms and methods and clarification of doubts about the resolution of the proposed problems. Follow-up of the students regarding the assignments and homework.

Software

Solver do Microsoft Excel

keywords

Social sciences > Economics > Management studies > Industrial management
Physical sciences > Mathematics > Applied mathematics > Operations research

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	65,00
Participação presencial	5,00
Teste	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	82,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Total:	138,00

Eligibility for exams

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP- Article 4

Calculation formula of final grade

Exame (E):   20val

Mini Teste i (mTi):    20 val

Participação Presencial:    20 val

 

Final Classification: 0,65E + 0,10mT1 + 0,10mT2 + 0,10mT3 + 0,05PP

Examinations or Special Assignments

Three Mini-tests (October, November and December)

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The assessment at the special season will only be based on a final exam (closed book).

Classification improvement

An Exam (13,50 values)