OPERATIONS RESEARCH

OPERATIONS RESEARCH Unit – I: Introduction and linear programming operations research – Quantitative approach to decision making – Nature and significance of OR in decision making – Models in operations research – Application areas of operations research – Linear programming – General concepts – Definition – Assumptions in linear programming – Limitations in linear programming – Applications of linear programming – Formulation of LP problems – Solution methods: graphical method (maximization and minimization) – Simplex method (maximization and minimization) – Big M method. Unit – II: Transportation concepts – Formulation of transportation problem – Balanced and unbalanced problems – Minimization and maximization problems finding IBFS – Northwest corner rule (NWCR), least cost rule (LCR), and Vogel’s approximation method (VAM) – Optimality tests – Modified distribution method (MODI). Unit – III: Assignment problems concepts – Mathematical formulation of an assignment problem – The assignment algorithm (Hungarian assignment method) – Balanced and unbalanced assignment problems – Minimization and maximization problems – Restricted and reserved routes/choice – Travelling salesman problem as an assignment problem. Unit – IV: Project management and queuing models introduction – Types of networks – CPM: Critical path method and PERT: Programme evaluation review technique – Basic differences between CPM and PERT – Drawing a network – Obtaining of critical path – Time estimates for activities – Probability of completion of project – Determination of floats (total, free, independent) – Queuing models – Introduction, concepts, terminology – General structure of queuing system – Operating characteristics of queuing system – Poisson exponential single server model (finite population). Unit – V: Replacement analysis and simulation – Replacement of capital assets – Discrete cases when time value of money is not considered and when time of money is considered – Replacement of items that fail suddenly – Monte Carlo method of simulation.