Frederick S. Hillier
In the edition two changes were made in the order of the chapters. The decision analysis chapter has been moved forward to Chap. 15 in front of the stochastic chapters. The game theory chapter has been moved backward to Chap. 14 to place it next to the related decision alalysis chapter.
Every chapter has received significant revision and updating, ranging from modest refining to extensive rewriting. Chapters receiving a particularly major revision and reorganization included Chaps. 15 (Decision Analysis), 19 (Inventory Theory), 20 (Forecasting), and 22 (Simulation). Many sections in the linear programming and mathematical programming chapters also received major revisions and updating.
The net effect has been to make this edition even more of a "studentbook"---clear, interesting, and well-organized with lots of helpful examples and illustrations, good motivation and perspective, easy-to-find important material, and enjoyable homework, without too much notation, terminology, and dense mathematics.
The prerequisites for this book can be relatively modest. The mathematics has been kept at a relatively elementary level. Most of Chaps. 1 to 14 (introduction, linear programming, and mathematical programming) require no mathematics beyond high school algebra. Calculus is used only in Chaps. 13 (Nonlinear Programming) and in one example in Chap. 11(Dynamic Programming). Matrix notation is used in Chap. 5 (The Theory of the Simplex Method), Chap. 6 (Duality Theory and Sensitivity Analysis), Sec. 7.4 (An Interior-Point Algorithm), and Chap. 13, but the only background needed for this is presented in Appendix 4. For Chaps. 15 to 22 (probabilistic models), a previous introduction to probability theory is assumed, and calculus is used in a few places. In general terms, the mathematical maturity that a student achieves through taking an elementary calculus course is useful throughout Chaps. 15 to 22 and for the more advanced material in the preceding chapters.
The content of the book is aimed largely at the upper-division undergraduate level (including well-prepared sophmores) and at first-year (master's level) graduate students.
Suggestions for using the chapters
Because of the book's great flexibility, there are many ways to package the material into a course. Chapters 1 and 2 give an introduction to the subject to operations research. Chapters 3 to 14 (on linear programming and on mathematical programming) may essentially be covered independently of Chaps. 15 to 22 (on probabilistic models), and vice versa. furthermore, the individual chapters among Chaps. 3 to 14 are almost independent, except that they all use basic material presentedin Chap. 3 and perhaps in Chap. 4. Chapter 6 and Sec. 7.2 also draw upon Chap. 5. Sections 7.1 and 7.2 use parts of Chap. 6. Section 9.6 assumes an acquaintance with the problem formulations in Secs. 8.1 and 8.3, while prior exposure to Secs. 7.3 and 8.2 is helpful (but not essential) in Sec. 9.7. Within Chaps. 15 to 22, there is considerable flexibility of coverage, although some integration of the material is available.
An elementary survey course covering linear programming, mathematical programming, and some probabilistic models can be presented in a quarter (40 hours) or semester by selecting drawing from material throughout the book. For example, a good survey of the field can be obtained from Chaps. 1,2,3,4,15,17,19,20, and 22, along with parts of Chaps. 9, 11, 12, and 13. A more extensive elementary survey course can be completed in two quarters (60 to 80 hours) by excluding just a gew chapters, for example, Chaps. 7, 14, and 21. Chapters 1 to 8 (and perhaps part of Chap. 9) form an excellent basis for a (one-quarter) course in other deterministic models of operations research suitable for presentation in a (one-quarter) course. In fact, these latter three courses (the material in the entire text) can be viewed as a basic one-year sequence in the techniques of operations research, forming the core of a master's degree program. Each course outlined has been presented at either the undergraduate o the graduate level at Stanford University, and this text has been used in the manner suggested.
Provision or Custom Made Books
To assist the instructor who will be covering only a portion of the chapters and who prefers a slimmer book containing only those chapters, all the material (including the supplementary text material on the book's website) has been placed in McGraw-Hill's PRIMIS system. This system enables an instructor to pick and choose precisely which material to include in a self-designed book, and then to order copies for the students at an economical price.
Related Knol
Operations Research - Knol Book
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