ISYE6501 ISYE 6501 Midterm

ISYE6501 / ISYE 6501 Midterm Exam 2 (Latest Update 2025 / 2026) Intro to Analytics Modeling | Questions & Answers | Grade A | 100% Correct - Georgia Tech

Question:

what is an integer program

Answer:

linear program plus some (or all) variables restricted to take only integer values; variables could be binary (either 0 or 1)

Question:

What should you do if your problem is too hard

Answer:

Use a heuristic: rule of thumb process. It is usually gives good solutions

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Question:

what are the basic steps to solve an optimization problem

Answer:

1) Initialization: pick values for all the variables (they may be simple, bad and not satisfy all of the constraints)

2.) find an improving direction t and make a change in that direction of some amount called the step size (theta)

3.) repeat using the old solution plus the improving direction times the step size

Question:

what are some common network models?

Answer:

shortest path model - find quickest/shortest route from one place to another; assignment model - which worker gets which job to maximize workforce efficiency; maximum flow model - how much oil can flow through complex network of pipes

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Question:

what type of models are network models

Answer:

linear program

Question:

what are the constraints in network models

Answer:

flow into node = flow out of node; flow on arc between min and max allowable

Question:

what do we get without constraints in a network model if data is all integers

Answer:

an optimal solution where all the variables have integer values

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Question:

True or false: Requiring some variables in a linear program to take integer

values can make it take a lot longer to solve.

Answer:

True Adding integer variables moves the model from a linear program, which usually solves very quickly, to an integer program, which sometimes takes a long time to solve.

Question:

Do optimization implicitly assume that we know all of the values of the input data exactly?

Answer:

Optimization models treat all of the data as known exactly

Question:

what is the structure of dynamic programs

Answer:

states (the exact situation and their values); decisions (choices of next state)

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