Decision Methods

Code:

EA0026

Acronym:

MD

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Basic Sciences
OFICIAL	Interp/Personal professional attitudes and capac.

Instance: 2011/2012 - 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	39	Syllabus since 2006/07	3	-	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.

Program

1. Decision Methods integrated in Operational Research
2. Operational Research - introduction
3. Methodology of operational research
4. Decision and Optimisatiomn models
5. Linear programming
6. Simplex method
7. Integer programming - a brief introduction
8. Transport and transexpedition problems
9. Assignment problems
10. Graphs and networks - introduction
11. Maximum flow and shortest path problems
12. Queuing systems
13. Decision analysis
14. Multi-criteria decision problems

Mandatory literature

Hillier, Frederick S.; Introduction to operations research. ISBN: 0-07-118163-6

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

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

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

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
Mini-tests	Exame	20,00		2011-12-16
Final exam	Exame	2,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Continuous study	Estudo autónomo	60	2011-12-16
Final exam preparation	Estudo autónomo	20	2011-12-16
	Total:	80,00

Eligibility for exams

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP- Article 4

Calculation formula of final grade

Continuous Assessment – from 0 to 4,5 values
Final Exam- from 0 to 15,5 values

Closed book exam

Examinations or Special Assignments

Three Mini-tests of 30min each.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

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

Classification improvement

An Exam (0 to 15,5 values)