Optimization for Decision Making: Linear and Quadratic Models

Linear programming (LP), modeling, and optimization are very much the fundamentals of OR, and no academic program is complete without them. No matter how highly developed one’s LP skills are, however, if a fine appreciation for modeling isn’t developed to make the best use of those skills, then the truly ‘best solutions’ are often not realized, and efforts go wasted.

This book illustrates how to formulate real world problems using linear and quadratic models; how to use efficient algorithms - both old and new - for solving these models; and how to draw useful conclusions and derive useful planning information from the output of these algorithms.

It focus on developing modeling skills to support valid decision making for complex real world problems. It describes the approach as 'intelligent modeling and decision making' to emphasize the importance of employing the best expression of actual problems and then applying the most computationally effective and efficient solution technique for that model.