SUBJECT: ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

YASSIN ELSHERIF

Important Definitions
Mathematical Model
A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts
and language.

Iconic Model
A scaled physical model.

Descriptive Model
is a mathematical process that describes describes how things actually
work.

Prescriptive Model
An aid in selecting the best alternative solution for a decision problem.

Optimization Model
a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the minimization or
maximization of a certain function, possibly under constraints.

Deterministic Model
Mathematical model in which outcomes are precisely determined through known
relationships among states and events, without any room for random variation.

Stochastic Model
Modeling for the purpose of estimating the probability of outcomes within a
forecast to predict what conditions might be like under different situations.

Statistical Model
is a formalization of relationships between variables in the form of mathematical
equations.

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 SUBJECT: ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

YASSIN ELSHERIF

Simulation
the act of imitating the behavior of some situation or some process by means of
something suitably analogous

Linear Programming
a mathematical technique for maximizing or minimizing a linear function of
several variables, such as output or cost.

Nonlinear Programming
Is the process of solving an optimization problem defined by a system of
equalities and inequalities, collectively termed constraints, over a set of unknown
real variables, along with an objective function to be maximized or minimized,
where some of the constraints or the objective function are nonlinear.

Quadratic Programming
is a special type of mathematical optimization problem. It is the problem of
optimizing a quadratic function of several variables subject to linear constraints
on these variables.

Gradient methods
is an algorithm to solve problems of the form with the search directions defined
by the gradient of the function at the current point.

Optimal Control Theory

is a mathematical optimization method for deriving control policies.

Dynamic Programming
is a method for solving complex problems by breaking them down into simpler
subproblems.

Multiobjective Programming
is an area of multiple criteria decision making, that is concerned with
mathematical optimization problems involving more than one objective function to
be optimized simultaneously.

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 SUBJECT: ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

YASSIN ELSHERIF

Integer Programming
is a mathematical optimization or feasibility program in which some or all of the
variables are restricted to be integers.

Mathematical Programming
is the selection of a best element from some set of available alternatives.

Computer Programming
creating a sequence of instructions to enable the computer to do something

System Analysis
The analysis of the role of a proposed system and the identification of the
requirements that it should meet.

Activity Analysis
Evaluating and identifying an activity and its operational impact.

Differential equation
an equation involving derivatives of a function or functions.

Difference equation
An equation expressing a functional relationship of one or more independent
variables, one or more functions dependent on these variables, and successive
differences of these functions.

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