AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 7123

Operations Research Methods

in Agricultural Economics

Fall Semester 2004

Course description:

Application of operations research methods to economic problems in agricultural production, marketing and resource use; linear and nonlinear programming; integer programming; network analysis; dynamic programming; queuing; simulation.

Class schedule:

8:40 - 9:30 am         M W F              Room 208  Agricultural Administration Bldg.

Instructor:

Dr. Michael E. Salassi, Professor

Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness

229 Agricultural Administration Bldg.

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA  70803-5604

Phone:  (225) 578-2713

Fax:      (225) 578-2716

E-mail:  msalassi@agcenter.lsu.edu

Text:

Introduction to Operations Research, Hillier & Lieberman, 8th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Course Syllabus:

                                 PDF version

Fall 2004 Course Schedule:

 

Class Date	Topic	Material Covered, Assignments, etc.
Aug 23 (M)	Course overview	Course syllabus [pdf]
Aug 25 (W)	Operations Research Modeling Approach	H&L - chap. 1 & 2 [overheads]     Example SAS problem   [handout]  [overhead] Excel LP Solver     [example]
Aug 27 (F)	Linear Programming - Terminology & Assumptions	H&L - Chap. 3 (pp. 25-44)  [overheads]  [handout] Homework Assignment:  3.1-8, 3.1-10, 3.2-3                ( 7th ed. = 3.1-9, 3.1-11,  3.2-3 )
Aug 30 (M)	Linear Programming - Maximization & Minimization Problems	H&L - Chap. 3 (pp. 44-60)  [overheads] Maximization problems, minimization problems
Sept 1 (W)	Linear Programming - Maximization & Minimization Problems	H&L - Chap. 3 (pp. 44-60) [overheads]    [handout] Transfer rows and accounting activities Homework Assignment: solve personnel scheduling problem (H&L, p. 56) and transfer row class examples using SAS
Sept 3 (F)	Linear Programming - Classic Application Forms: Allocation & Blending Models	-Linear programming models  - handout [overheads]       [R132]       [R135] Homework: solve allocation and/or blending models using SAS
Sept 6 (M)	Labor Day Holiday	- - -
Sept 8 (W)	Linear Programming - Classic Application Forms: Operations Planning & Shift Scheduling Models	-Linear programming models  - handout [overheads]       [R139]       [R148] Homework: operations planning and/or shift scheduling  models using SAS
Sept 10 (F)	Linear Programming - SAS LP Programming and Output Interpretation	Reviewed SAS programming and output results for transfer row / acct. activity problem and classic linear programming models
Sept 13 (M)	The Simplex Method	-H&L - Chap. 4 (pp. 103-124)  [overheads] Homework: solve assigned problem using the simplex method and SAS.  [handout]
Sept 15 (W)	No Class
Sept 17 (F)	The Simplex Method	-H&L - Chap. 4 (pp. 124-150)   Other model forms and postoptimality analysis
Sept 20 (M)	Sensitivity Analysis	-H&L - Chap. 6 (pp. 231-255)     [overheads] Homework: Conduct sensitivity analysis of Forest Service Allocation problem (p. 132-134) and the Tubular Products problem (p.139-141)
Sept 22 (W)	Sensitivity Analysis	Discussed sensitivity analysis of Forest Service Allocation and Tubular Products problems     [overheads]     Exam 1 Review Material     [review1]
Sept 24 (F)	Exam 1
Sept 27 (M)		Reviewed Exam 1 and Project 1
Sept 29 (W)	Goal Programming	-H&L - Chap. 7 (supplement) [overheads]   [SAS] [handout] Homework: Using SAS, solve text example, 7.5-5 and bank investment example (handout)
Oct 1 (F)	Goal Programming	Discussed problem 7.S-5 and bank investment example
Oct 4 (M)	Transportation Problem	-H&L - Chap. 8 (pp. 320-335)  [overheads]    [handout] General form of transportation problem, modeling inventory decisions as transportation problems   [SAS H&L321LP]    [Excel]
Oct 6 (W)	Transportation Problem	Solving inventory problems using transportation models   [overheads]     [handout]    [Excel]
Oct 8 (F)	Fall Holiday	- - -
Oct 11 (M)	Assignment Problem	-H&L - Chap. 8 (pp. 350-358)  [overheads] General formulation of assignment problem [SAS]      [Excel]
Oct 13 (W)	Assignment Problem	Generalized assignment problem    [overheads]       [SAS]
Oct 15 (F)	Transshipment Problem	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:2-23:6)     [overheads]       [SAS]
Oct 18 (M)	Transshipment Problem	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:2-23:6)      [overheads]       [SAS]
Oct 20 (W)	Review for Exam 2
Oct 22 (F)	Exam 2
Oct 25 (M)	Multidivision / Multiperiod	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:7-23:10, 23:19-23:23)  [overheads]
Oct 27 (W)	Multidivision / Multiperiod	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:7-23:10, 23:19-23:23)
Oct 29 (F)	No Class
Nov 1 (M)	Stochastic Programming	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:23-23:27)   [overheads]
Nov 3 (W)	Chance Constrained Programming	-H&L - Chap. 23 (pp. 23:27-23:29)  [overheads]   [handout]    [handout]
Nov 5 (F)	MOTAD	-Anderson, Dillon & Hardaker -Hazell & Norton   [overheads]   [SAS]
Nov 8 (M)	No Class
Nov 10 (W)	Target MOTAD	-Tauer    [overheads]     [SAS]      [handout]
Nov 12 (F)	Target MOTAD	Investment portfolio problem  [overheads]  [SAS]
Nov 15 (M)	MOTAD	Discussion of Project 3 on MOTAD model formulation
Nov 17 (W)	Simulation	Basic terminology & generating random numbers -H&L - Chap. 20 (pp. 930-954)     [overheads]      [overheads]        [SAS]
Nov 19 (F)	Exam 3
Nov 22 (M)	Simulation	Generating Discrete Random Numbers   -Handout - Chap. 23 (Simulation)  [overheads]           [SAS]         [SAS]
Nov 24 (W)	Simulation	Generating Continuous Random Numbers   -Handout - Chap. 23 (Simulation)  [overheads]    [RANUNI]   [RANTRI]    [RANNOR]
Nov 26 (F)	Thanksgiving Holiday	- - -
Nov 29(M)	Simulation	Generating Continuous Random Numbers
Dec 1 (W)	Simulation	Discussion of Project 4 on Simulation
Dec 3 (F)	Review for final exam
Dec 7 (T)	FINAL EXAM	10:00 - 12:00 am  Tuesday, Dec. 7