SCHOOL
OF BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT
BUSI 311: Quantitative Analysis
Spring 2008, Roger
B. Conover:
Wilden 219; (626)
815-3823; rconover@apu.edu
The mission of the
Summary:
This course presents students with mathematical tools
useful for business decision-making. In addition, management tools such as
forecasting, linear programming and project management techniques will be
developed. The course will use a textbook, lectures and discussions. Student
evaluation will be based on homework, periodic exams and a comprehensive final
exam.
This is a course about how to make good decisions.
"Quantitative" means that most of the decisions that we will look at
have numbers associated with them (an inescapable result of the fact that
business decisions are usually associated with issues of goods and money).
"Analysis" means that we will not be satisfied until we have
developed a well-structured way of thinking about the issues. In the complex
world of modern business, the failure to think clearly about the problems that
you encounter will have serious consequences for your ability to accomplish
your business goals.
Prerequisites:
1. College Algebra with a grade of B or better is a prerequisite for this course. You must be able to apply college algebra to solving problems.
2.
Basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel (or equivalent
spreadsheet program).
Required Text: Quantitative
Analysis, compiled by Roger B. Conover (Prentice Hall Custom
Business Resources, 2005) from Balakrishnan, Render
and Stair (Prentice Hall, 2005) and Taylor (Prentice Hall, 2005).
Office
Hours: Drop by my office
Monday 10:30 – 12 noon and Wednesday
1:30 – 3 PM, or make an appointment with me. E-mail also works for some questions.
Upon completion of this
course, students are expected to:
General
Grade Expectations:
Your grade will depend upon your performance on the
homework, tests and the final exam. No extra credit is available except as may
be occasionally announced in class. Students who are concerned about their
grades should see the instructor as early as possible during the semester to
work out possible strategies for improving your performance. Grades will not be
changed after the course is over except in the case of clerical error. Grade
appeals procedures may be found in the Student Handbook.
In general, the following guidelines will apply to this
course. Your specific grade will be determined by the point total that you
accumulate throughout the course.
Grade A: Outstanding knowledge
regarding details, assumptions and implications of quantitative analysis;
demonstrates superior thinking with information relevant to application,
critique, relationship to other information.
B: More than adequate knowledge regarding technical terms,
distinctions, ability to begin using information; demonstrates ability to think
clearly about the information and its relationship to other information.
C: Basic knowledge needed to function and carry on
learning regarding major principles, central terms, major figures, awareness of the field.
D: Serious gaps in knowledge, confusion of concepts and
categories, inability to recall basic information.
F: Absence of knowledge, incapable of carrying on a
conversation about the subject, misunderstands most concepts, confuses all
categories.
Specific
Grading Policy: There are 500 points possible in the course:
Homework
(5 x 30) 150 (Scale TBA)
Exams
(2 x 100) 200 (Scales TBA)
Final
(comprehensive) 150 (Scale TBA)
Homework problems are assigned below and are due at the
beginning of class on the days indicated. You may discuss the homework in
groups, but copying the answers of another student is expressly prohibited.
Do not show your paper or computer files to another student, just talk about
what the next steps are. If you get stuck, you may discuss the steps in the solution
process, but you must not copy answers. When in doubt, ask the course professor
for help instead. This obviously implies that each person must turn in their
own answers. On the days that problem sets are due, the answers will be
reviewed immediately, so no late papers can be accepted. MAKE A COPY of your
homework and hand in the original so that you can look over your answers in
class.
The exams will be one class period each. The final will
be comprehensive, though weighted toward the material from the last part of the
course. The exams and the final will consist of a combination of
objective/short answer problems, multiple choice problems, Excel spreadsheet
design problems and calculation problems. No notes or study aids (including the
papers of other students) may be used on the exams. Only basic-function calculators are permitted. No other electronic
devices are permitted, including programmable or graphing calculators,
cell-phones or PDA’s. There will be no make-up exams. With prior
approval of a valid, documented excuse, the percentage that you receive on the
final will be assigned as your score on the missed exam. There is no provision
for missing more than one exam, and you must take the final.
Problem
Solving:
Practicing by solving problems is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
to learning mathematical techniques. The following is a list of problems from
the end of the chapters that we will cover. This represents the minimum
required for a basic understanding of the material. I expect that you will work
more problems than just these. I cannot stress enough the importance of working
these and other problems from the chapters!
Problem set #1
Chapter 1- Introduction: 25, 27, 28, 29
Chapter 2- LP Models (set
up all problems algebraically): 5 (show graphically); 13 (solve
graphically and by Excel); 25, 26 (solve graphically); 40, 43 (solve with
Excel)
Problem set #2
Chapter 3- LP
Application: Set up algebraically then solve each using Excel: 3, 7, 14, 21, 35,
45
Chapter 4- LP
Sensitivity: 10 (set up and solve graphically); 13, 16, 19, 20, 21.
Problem set #3
Chapter 5- PERT: 16 (set
up and solve using Excel); 18, 20, 32 (by hand); 35 (draw the network diagram
to show your result)
Problem set #4
Chapter 6- Decisions: 14, 15, 26, 27, 32, 35, 40, 41
Problem set #5
Chapter 7- Forecasting: 2, 5, 14, 19, 25, 29, 31, 45
Educational
Support:
Please make use of the variety of support systems developed to enhance your achievement in this class. First, a tutor in the LEC may be available for this course. See the LEC for additional information on meeting times and places. I also strongly recommend making use of my office hours for help with the material in this course. We can make an appointment if my office hours do not match your schedule.
Any student in
this course who has a disability that might prevent you from fully
demonstrating your abilities should meet with an advisor in the
Academic Honesty:
Students in this and
all courses at
“As a student
at this
The mission of
Any work
throughout the course that appears to have been copied from another source
violates the standard of academic integrity. You may not give or receive
assistance on exams except from the course professor. You may only work
together on homework sets in the manner described above- no copying of work is
permitted. If homework or exam papers do appear to be copied, or other cheating
occurs, all students involved will receive zero points for that assignment. Second
violations will result in all students involved being assigned a grade of “F”
for the course. Signing a role sheet for another student is considered forgery
and will result in being assigned a grade of “F” for the course. Any other acts
of academic dishonesty will be dealt with in a similar manner. In any case of a
suspected violation of the standards of academic integrity, the incident will be
reported to the Vice Provost’s office and further steps may be taken in
accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy of the University.
Attendance
Policy:
Students are expected to attend every class, and
attendance will be taken. Students that arrive after class has begun will be
counted as absent. Points will be deducted from a student’s final score
according to the following schedule:
0 to 2 = 0; 3 or more = 20 points each.
Students that are late or absent because of an approved
university event must inform the instructor prior to such an event.
While students are still responsible for assignments due and material presented
on such days, this absence will not be counted against their total.
Revisions:
This syllabus may
be revised during the semester by the professor as needed, including dates for
exams. Any revisions to the syllabus will be announced in class.
SCHEDULE OF CLASS
MEETINGS: BUSI 311- Quantitative Analysis
WEEK TOPIC HAVE READ
Week
1: Jan 8 INTRODUCTION-
Models, Excel; 1, 2
Linear Programming
Week
2: Jan 15
Linear Programming ---
Week
3: Jan 22
LP Graphing and Spreadsheets ---
Week
4: Jan 29 Applications
of Linear Programming 3 HW #1 due (T)
Week
5: Feb 5
Sensitivity Analysis in
Linear Programming 4
Week
6: Feb 12
Sensitivity Analysis --- HW #2 due (Th)
Week
7: Feb 19
Exam #1 (Tuesday) Chapters
1-4
Project Management: PERT / CPM 5
Week
8: Feb 26 PERT / CPM: Uncertainty ---
Week
9: Mar 4 PERT / CPM: Crashing --- HW
#3 due (Th)
Week
10: Mar 11
Decision
Analysis 6
March
15 – 24: EASTER
VACATION!
Week
11: Mar 25 Decision
Analysis ---
Week
12: Apr 1
Decision Analysis --- HW #4 due (Th)
Week
13: Apr 8 Exam
#2 (Tuesday) Chapters
5, 6
Week
14: Apr 15 Forecasting ---
Week
15: Apr 22 Forecasting --- HW #5 due (Th)
Finals
Week: April 28 – May 2. Check
Schedule of Classes for Time.