MATH7232 Operations Research & Mathematical Planning 2022
Assignment 1 – Linear Programming
This assignment is due by 3pm on Monday, March 28th and is worth 10% of your final grade.
You can do this assignment in a group of up to three, with a single submission. You have just started your first job with an Operations Research consulting company and you are keen to impress your boss who has a good technical understanding of OR. The first project you are assigned is for Pacific Paradise, a small nation that is trying to develop a vaccine distribution strategy (VDS). Communications to you from their team will be provided through Blackboard. The first communication will appear at 4pm on Monday, March 7th with the final communication appearing on or before Monday, March 21st. You will need to prepare a report which includes two main sections:
Section A – Report to your boss
• A general mathematical formulation of the problem, including definitions of sets, data, variables, objective function and constraints. 7 marks
• A Python file with the problem modelled for Gurobi. This should be easy to relate back to the formulation. Your boss will attempt to execute this model. 5 marks
Section B – Report to the client
• Written responses that clearly and concisely address the needs of the client given through the communications. 5 marks
• Brief insights into the solution, such as identifying key constraints or explaining the effects of the additional requirements on costs and the vaccination distribution strategy. 3 marks Submit your report and Python files via Blackboard, using PDF for the report (saved from Word or created in LaTeX). Only one submission per group is necessary but make sure all names are clearly shown on your report. Each student will receive separate data from the client but a group needs only consider one data set in the report.
Grading Criteria

Section A
Marks 0 1 2
Sets Incorrect or missing
description of sets
Correctly describes sets
Data Missing some or all
descriptions of data.
Correctly describes
most data
Correctly describes all
data
Variables Incorrect or missing
description of variables
Correctly describes
variables

Objective function Incorrect or missing
description of objective
function
Correctly describes
objective function

Constraints Missing many or all
descriptions of
constraints
Correctly describes
most constraints
Correctly describes all
constraints.
Python code There is no relationship
between Python code
and mathematical
formulation
Python code mostly
matches mathematical
formulation
Python code clearly
matches mathematical
formulation
Execution Python code fails to run Python code runs but
gives incorrect answer
Python code runs and
gives correct answer
Comments Python code has few or
no comments
Python code is clearly
commented



Section B
Marks 0 1 2 3
Response to
communications
Fails to address any of
the client questions
Correctly
addresses one
client question
Correctly
addresses two
client questions
Correctly addresses
all client questions
Written response Poorly written response
with frequent errors in
grammar, spelling or
technical language;
and/or unnecessarily
long
Concisely
addresses needs
of client with few
errors in writing
Excellent
proficiency in
clearly and
concisely
addressing
needs of client

Insights into the
solution
Incorrect or missing
insights into solution
Identifies some
important factors
that affect the
solution.
Identifies
important
factors that
affect the
solution
Provides insight and
thoroughness in
identifying factors
that affect the
solution