Schedule

of lectures for 15.053

Spring, 2018
Revised, July 1, 2017


1 Feb 6 Course introduction
2 Feb 8 LP and NLP models: 5 in 7 scheduling
3 Feb 13 Regression and machine learning
4 PS 1 is due Feb 15 Geometry of linear and nonlinear optimization
Feb 20 No class today
5 PS 2 is due Feb 22 Nonlinear optimization; portfolio optimization
6 Feb 27 Support vector machines
7 Mar 1 Sensitivity analysis and reoptimization
8 PS 3 is due Mar 6 Multi-criteria optimization
9 Mar 8 2-person 0-sum game theory
PS3B in Intro to combinatorial problems and next lectures.
10 Mar 13
online Integer programming models and some geometry
11 Mar 15 Midterm 1 (in class) Covers lectures 1 to 9.
12 Mar 20 Graphs, the assignment problem, and flows.
13 Mar 22 More IP models. (including TSP)
14 Case write-up Apr 3 15.053 Case 1. Assigning freshmen to dorms
Branch and bound (esp., the importance of good
15 PS 4 is due Apr 5 formulations and good bounds). Also cutting
planes.
Overview of next algorithmic approaches. Greedy
16 Apr 10
algorithms.
17 Apr 12 When greed is good.
Apr 17 No class
18 Apr 19 Midterm 2. Covers lectures 9 to 17.
19 Case write-up Apr 24 15.053 Case 2. Assigning gates at Logan airport.
20 Case write-up Apr 26 15.053 Case 3. The MIT dining facility problem.
21 May 1 Gradient descent
Local search algorithms in combinatorial
22 May 3
optimization
23 PS 5 is due May 8 Local search and randomization.
24 May 10 Final lecture
25 May 15 Project presentations
26 May 17 Project presentations