Due Dates

Unless otherwise specified, Learning Group Assignments should be completed for the next lecture day.

Semester Calendar

,
Date Lecture Title Assignment(s) Lecture & Assignment Goals
Notes
Wed Dec 9

Classes end

Tue Dec 8 Quiz 3
Wed Nov 25 – Fri Nov 27

Thanksgiving break

Fri Nov 13

Last day to withdraw

Tue Nov 3 Quiz 2
Mon Oct 12 – Tue Oct 13

Fall Break

Thu Oct 8 Midterm Exam
Tue Sep 29 Quiz 1
Thu Sep 17 Random Points LG Assignment:

lga-random-points


Individual Assignment:

Read about project requirements for the course; we'll review these (briefly) next lecture.

Know how to use accept/reject techniques for uniformly random (geometric) point generation.

Know the pitfalls associated with common (naive) methods of random point generation.

What characteristics of random points in a two dimensional space suggest a flawed algorithm was used?

Be able to analyze and critique algorithms for generating random points in a 2d plane.

Know at least one non accept/reject technique for randomizing points within an arbitrary triangle.

Know the tell-tale feature(s) of spatial plots produced by faulty point generation algorithms.

When randomizing points in a circle without accept/reject, how should the radi r be chosen using Random()?

Understand the submission and I/O requirements of simuation projects for the course.

Lecture slides for random points.

Tue Sep 15 – Wed Sep 16

Career Days

Tue Sep 15

No lecture - Career Days

Thu Sep 10 Probability Primer & Monte Carlo Simulations LG Assignment:

lga-monte-carlo-probs

Know how to write Monte Carlo simulations for estimating the Pr(A) of an event A.

What unique characteristic of a system or simulation makes it Monte Carlo?

When randomizing points in a circle without accept/reject, how should the radi r be chosen using Random()?

Why is it important to use multiple seeds and many replications in Monte Carlo simulations.

What are replications in the context of Monte Carlo simulations?

Know the Equilikely(a,b) random variate: the meaning of its parameters, pmf, and CDF.

Know the F(x) inversion technique for constructing random variates. What is the requirement on F(x)?

Know the Uniform(a,b) random variate: the meaning of its parameters, pdf, and CDF.

Understand the problems with the often used and always flawed RandomInteger() mod SIZE programming pattern.

What does the parameter u in random variates represent? Computationally, how do we get a value for u in code?

Know the difference between a random number and a random variate.

chl_cycle-vs-random-results.pdf

Lecture slides for a simply flawed Monte Carlo experiment.

Lecture slides for Monte Carlo simulations. Some of you may be missing §2.3 in your text, this might help.

Tue Sep 8 Simple Inventory System (SIS) LG Assignment:

lga-coding-sis

What does the pRNG API routine Random() provide to a simulation writer?

What is a seed for a pRNG, how is it related to the sequence of valued generated by Random()?

What is ρ (rho) for pRNGs? When does the sequence of values from Random() repeat?

Understand the Simple Inventory System (SIS), it's assumptions and simplifications.

Understand the experimental design of the Simple Inventory System case study; how was an optimal s determined?

How did back-ordering inventory manifest itself in the SiS conceptual, specification, and computational models?

How did flow-balanced inventory manifest itself in the SiS conceptual, specification, and computational models?

How did zero delivery lag manifest itself in the SiS conceptual, specification, and computational models?

In the SiS case study, what were s and S (note the case) and how did the simulation experiment vary one or both of them?

What SiS assumption about demand over an inventory review period simplified the specification model?

Considering q-bar in questions 1.2.2 and 1.2.8 group question.

Here is the Code base for LGA on SIS.

Lecture slides for simple inventory systems.

pRNG primer slides and f(x), F(x) reminder slides.

Mon Sep 7

Labor Day Holiday

Thu Sep 3 Coding SSQs LG Assignment:

lga-coding-ssqs

What is simulation validation?

What is simulation verification?

Name two acceptable ways to validate a simulation.

Know how the expected behavior or performance of an SSQ changes with varying levels of traffic intensity.

Know how to calculate traffic intensity and its connection to service rate.

Understand how a FIFO SSQ simulation can be written in a simple while loop and how ai and si can be manipulated for simple experiments.

Understand the canonical SSQ and appreciate its broad application to computer simulation.

Be familar with the job averaged statistics and time averaged statistics of an SSQ.

Know the algebraic form of Little's equations connecting the two types of statistics.

What properties must an SSQ have in order to apply Little's Equations to its statistical measures.

How were arrival times and service times "modeled" in the Sven & Larry case study?

Is the relationship between traffic intensity and average queue length linear or non-linear?

Know how to use an appropriate indicator function in the proof of Little's Theorem.

Know the "pattern of the proof" using indicator functions to show Little's equations for SSQs.

Which variable was altered Sven & Larry ice cream parlor simulation experiment? How was it altered? Was the measure of traffic intensity affected?

Considering V&V group question.

Lecture slides for Little's Equations and Traffic Intensity.

Here is the tarball with the provided ssq programs.

Wed Sep 2

Last Day to DROP Courses (100% refund)

Tue Sep 1 Introduction to SSQs LG Assignment:

lga-intro-to-ssqs

Know the rules for presenting discrete and continuous data relationships (scatter plots vs connected dots).

Know how to calculate traffic intensity and its connection to service rate.

Understand the canonical SSQ and appreciate its broad application to computer simulation.

Be familar with the job averaged statistics and time averaged statistics of an SSQ.

Know the algebraic form of Little's equations connecting the two types of statistics.

Know the four different types of queuing disciplines that might be used in an SSQ simulation.

Which of the SSQ time measures (there are 6) are timestamps and which are time intervals?

LGA discussion slides

Simple Machine Shop slides

SSQ Slides

Thu Aug 27 Simulation Design LG Assignment:

lga-engineering-a-simulation

Learn about several different simulation approaches, topics, and uses.

What are consistency checks? How can they be used in V&V?

What are the authors' five phases of simulation development?

What is simulation validation?

What is simulation verification?

What is the computational model of a simulation?

What is the conceptual model of a simulation?

What is the specification model of a simulation?

Name two acceptable ways to validate a simulation.

When can a particular phase (concept, specification, computational, v&v) of simulation development be skipped?

Intro to Simulation Design slides.

Tue Aug 25 This is merely a simulation Individual Assignment:

Review the course syllabus and read how Learning Groups with participation points will be used in the course.

You may also want to look through the assignment submission guidelines so you know what you're getting into.

Intro slides

From this zip, read one paper (choose the one of most interest to you), and be prepared to discuss it in the next lecture.

Learn of several different simulations reported in the literature, compare and constrast their pros and cons.

Understand how the course participation grade will be factored into your course grade.

Understand how your course grade will be calculated.

You do not (yet) need a login for the course website, when the time comes you will authenticate through Mine's SSO or individualized logins (TBD).

This course will not use Canvas or Blackboard.

Mon Aug 24

Classes begin