Concept
This was a homework assignment during my Masters program. The goal was to learn the basics of GAMS, a free mathematical modeling software.
Problem 1 involved creating a formula for estimating the cost of snow removal for a local state highway department. Variables included snowfall in inches, and cost for removal in thousands of dollars. Click “Problem 1” to see the code I wrote to solve.
Problem 1 Solution
GAMS generated values for the variables of snowfall to estimate cost. The solution was nonlinear (see graphic below), but to be succinct, an increase in 1 inch of snow was correlated with a roughly $100 cost to remove it. The cost leveled out at around $5,000 for 30+ inches.
Problem two was a work-efficiency Problem. Six tasks are to be assigned to two students with these requirements:
Each Student must get exactly 3 tasks
Task 5 and 6 must be assigned to the same student
Each task must be assigned to at least one student
I was provided a table showing how “fit” each student was to each task.
Click the “Problem 2” link to see the code I wrote to solve. The student fitness table is also shown.
Problem 2 Solution
GAMS produced an assignment of each task as follows:
Student 1 is to do task 1, 5, and 6
Student 2 is to do task 2, 3, and 4
