Most operations research studies involving the construction of a mathematical model. The model is a collection of logical and mathematical relationships that represent the aspects of the situation in the study. The models describe important relationships between variables, including an objective function with which alternatives are evaluated, and the constraints that restrict feasible valued solutions. Although the analyst hoped to study the broad implications of the problem using a systems approach, a model can not include every aspect of a situation. A model is always an abstraction that is of necessity much simpler than the real situation. The elements that are irrelevant or unimportant to the problem should be ignored, hopefully leaving (leaving) in sufficient detail so that the solution obtained with the model is equivalent with respect to the problem original.Los manageable models must be both capable solution, to be valid, representative of the original situation. These dual objectives are often contradictory and are not always attainable. It is generally true that the most powerful methods of solution can be applied to the simplest or most abstract, model.
Provided in this section, a description of various types of models used by operations research analysts. The division is based on the mathematical form of the model. All models described here are solved with the Excel add-those-who-are-in-the-power described in the section of this site Computing. In some cases, the methods used to solve a model are described in the Methods section. The student is trained to create models are in the Troubleshooting section. Additional models related to problems in Operations Management and Industrial Engineering are given in section OM / IE.
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