Case—All of Britain Must Be Stoned! An Effective Introductory Probability Case
James J. Cochran - jcochran@cab.latech.edu
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana 71272
Abstract
In this paper, an integer programming (IP) model is presented to assign MBA and undergraduate students to groups to solve an exam case in an operations research (O.R.) course. It is assumed that the students have a basic understanding of mathematical programming and are now ready to build their first real-life model in class. Thanks to the direct link with the student's situation and the immediate repercussion on the exam assignment, students can quickly understand the problem and are willing to help to define the problem in class. The example illustrates many O.R.-related issues, such as the balance between problem complexity and solution quality, and the need for dynamic rather than static models. Thanks to its simplicity and practicality, this exercise is an ideal tool to make the often complex domain of O.R. more accessible.
Key words
probability; binomial distribution; independent events
History
Received: June 2008; accepted November 2009 by Senior Editor Armann Ingolfsson.
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Teaching Note (visit the Case Teaching Notes and Other Restricted Materials page to download this PDF)
Citation Information
Cochran, J. J. 2010. All of Britain must be stoned! An effective introductory probability case. INFORMS Trans. Ed. 10(2) 62-64. Available online at http://ite.pubs.informs.org/.
DOI: 10.1287/ited.1090.0039