Regarding the exam format:

• There will be one algebra question about integer programming modeling.
• There will one spreadsheet question on simulation (YASAI) modeling; however its format will be different from the ones in the practice materials.
• There will not be a spreadsheet question about using Solver on this midterm.

The simulation question format will be as follows:

• A story like those in the practice questions
• Some short-answers questions about the problem (your answers should range from one word to a few sentences)
• A spreadsheet template that you will have to complete.  This spreadsheet will contain only data and a lot of blank cells.  You'll have fill in the blank cells to make a YASAI simulation spreadsheet for the problem.  You should also put in explanatory labels.  For example, you might be given

and you would fill in things like

This will seem harder than the practice problems, because you must decide the meaning of each cell, in addition to how to calculate it correctly.

You should study the following material:

• Examples covered in class and your class notes from February 22 through April 1.  This material includes:
  • Binary and general integer variables
  • Assignment problems and "grids" of binary variables
  • Set covering constraints
  • Logic constraints (this or that, if this then than, etc.)
  • "Fixed charge" models: modeling setup costs and related disjunctions
  • Empirical probability distributions (GENTABLE)
  • Independence, binomial distributions
  • Poisson distributions, and when the should be used
  • PARAMETER function in YASAI, including testing multiple parameters
  • When to use SIMOUTPUT
  • Continuous random variables
  • Central limit theorem applications in simulation, distribution of the sum of independent random variables
• Homework assignments 6 through 9, including "official solutions"
  • Note: the complete official solutions will be posted by the evening of Monday, April 11.
• Midterm practice problems:
  • Choosing a class schedule, p. 264
  • Hiring consultants, p. 267
  • Fruit of the month, p. 268
  • Online auction, p. 272
  • Project scheduling, p. 275
  • Selling dresses, p. 278
  • Semiconductor fabrication, p. 280
  • Miniature locomotives, p. 281
  • Staffing an office, p. 283
  • Chickens and eggs, p. 285
• Final exam practice problems:
  • Bouquets, p. 315
  • Temporary water supply, p. 324

New material from the April 5 and 8 classes will not be on this midterm, but may appear on the final.