Algorithm for Solving Time Table Questions Based
on GA
Xiaoping Li Xiaoxing Lv
Department of Computer Department of Computer
Science and Technology, Science and Technology,
Beijing Institute of Beijing Institute of
Technology, Technology,
Beijing, China Beijing, China
Abstract—Time table problem is a multifactor optimized decision
problem and is typical problem in constitution and planning. It
has been proved as a kind of NP-complete problem. Genetic
Algorithm (GA) is based on the biological mechanism of natural
selection and heredity, leveraging colony searching technology,
and is particularly applicable for the resolution of complicated
on-linear problems intractable with traditional searching
methods. This paper designs the genetic arithmetic about the
time table problems, a new method chromosome encoding is
designed. This method mainly aims at in the test time
arrangement the concrete question to propose each kind of
corresponding heredity operation strategy. The experiment
proved this algorithm in the test time cell and the examination
place number is all not in the very big situation, reduced the
average evolution algebra enormously, and can guarantee obtains
the overall situation optimal solution in the two number random
situation.
Keywords-examination timetabling problem; genetic algorithm;
chromosome encoding; Operator
I. TIMETABLE QUESTION
The timetable question (Timetable Problem) is a kind of
scheduling problem, may define for has in the resources under
the limit condition to arrange the event at the appointed time
the compartment. According to the constraint condition, the
question domain difference, the timetable question may divide
into very many types, For example: Workshop scheduling
problem, railroad timetable arrangement, university timetable
question and so on. This article aims at the university test
arrangement to the timetable question discussion. The
university test timetable question is the arrangement test in a
group of limited integer time section, the request avoids
conflicting also satisfying certain constraint condition. May see,
this question has concentrated the time, the spatial dual
restraints, if only from examination place (space) the angle
looked, this question similar packing question (bin-packing),
but increased many restraints in the time, this is one compared
to packing question more complex question [3].
The university test timetable is a NP complete question,
the present solution method mainly has the heuristic chart
coloration algorithm, heuristic mountain climbing law, restraint
logical program design, based on rule system, integer
programming, simulation annealing method, taboo
reconnaissance method [4].Uses universally is the heuristic
18
Wenbo Mei Hu Xu
Department of Computer Department of Computer
Science and Technology, Science and Technology,
Beijing Institute of Beijing Institute of
Technology, Technology,
Beijing, China Beijing, China
chart coloration algorithm, but this method violates the law
easy to fall into is partially most superior, thus has affected the
obtained timetable quality.
II. GENETIC ALGORITHM(GA)
The genetic algorithm was the recent years widespread use
uses in the solution complex and the non-linear problem
algorithm, it based on the natural selection principle, solved
question [5] through the simulation nature biological evolution
process. The algorithm first carries on the code to the question
parameter, production certain quantity (scale) the possible
solution, forms the initial population. In which each solution
may be one-dimensional or the multi-dimensional vector,
indicated by the binary number string or the real number string,
calls the chromosome, the chromosome each binary number or
each real value call the gene. The algorithm judges each
possibility solution performance fit and unfit quality by the
sufficiency function achievement the standard, the performance
good solution is chosen by certain probability participates as
the father generation later heredity operation to produce the
new generation of population. The heredity operation mainly
includes the chromosome choice, in the chromosome the gene
overlapping and the gene variation, the overlapping result
causes a father generation of characteristic to be more
centralized, then the variation is beneficial in producing the
new individual, favors the evolution. But after, passes through
by a generation of optimization, until satisfies the conclusion
condition.
With the heuristic chart method of coloring which uses
widely compares, the genetic algorithm has two superiority.
First: The genetic algorithm has the very strong overall
situation search ability. This is but because the genetic
algorithm solution space does not limit in one is crowd of spots,
thus not easy to fall into is partially most superior. Second: The
genetic algorithm has the extension. This is because the genetic
algorithm has the separation appraisal function, we may change
the new timetable which the constraint condition and the code
produce need.
III. CONCRETE DESCRIPTION ABOUT UNIVERSITY TEST
TIMETABLE QUESTION
The university test timetable question definition is five
tuple <course, room, time, group, monitor>, in which course
represents the test subject, room represents the examination
place, time represents the test time, group represents the
student group, representative monitor monitors an exam the
teacher. Need shows following several points:
group (student group) the subset which the definition is
must participate in the student who identical gate test gathers.
Here student group's concept does not equate in an
administrative class's concept, and requests a student not to be
able simultaneously to subordinate in several student groups.
Supposes altogether has n gate test subject C1, C2 ......Cn,
participates in the ith test student's set is Gi(1İiİn), we take
the student to gather gi1, gi2, ......And, gi k causes gi1Ĥgi2
Ĥ ...... Ĥgi k=Gi gi1ģgi2ģ ...... ģgi k=Φ , then group= {gi j|
1İiİn,1İjİk, k is in Gi member's integer}.
room (examination place) is the standardized examination
place, each examination place 60 seats. First selects may
participate in the test arrangement the classroom, the
insufficient 60 seat classroom may not participate in the
arrangement, then surpasses the seating capacity 60 classrooms
to divide into certain standard examination places and
according to the smooth hypothesis serial number, after in
which classroom is divided the surplus insufficiency 60 seat
parts not to participate the examination place arrangement. For
example: The classroom aggregate capacity 128 seats, may
divide are two seats are 60 examination places, the surplus 8
seats do not participate in the examination place arrangement.
Uses the standardized examination place to have the merit in
the practical application aspect, because has some test subject
participation test population to be very many, is unable to
arrange in any independent classroom, for example, higher
mathematics. Divides the classroom after the size non-
difference standard examination place, may also carry on a test
arrangement in certain examination places, whether moreover
uses this method not to have the test population and the
classroom size best match question, simplified the computation.
Time (test time) uses the two-dimensional information to
indicate that, and puts forward the test time cell concept.
Carries on the test arrangement in certain dates, each test date
divides 5 section of test time section, each period of time 2
hours. The test time cell on indicated together by the test date
and the test time section that. For example 1 day the 2nd time
section expressed a concrete test time cell.
The problem controls definition. The restraint may divide
into the hard restraint and the soft restraint, the hard restraint
for the restraint which must satisfy, the soft restraint for in
satisfies the hard restraint in the foundation as far as possible
the satisfied restraint.
The hard restraint includes: The identical student cannot
test in the identical test time cell is more than a test subject;
The identical examination place cannot be more than a test
subject in the identical test time cell arrangement; Certain tests
must use the examination place which assigns, like the
computer hands-on programming test must use the engine
room.
The soft restraint includes: The student should have at least
a test time cell time-gap between the participation test, is
advantageous for the rest and the review; Some test hope
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arrangement in specific time section, for example: Some day
evening time section.
IV. SOLUTION UNIVERSITY TEST TIMETABLE QUESTION
BASED ON GA
Carries on before the test time arrangement, the student first
acts according to this semester to teach the plan to choose
oneself requests the participation the test subject, these students
chooses the test subject the data to be possible to form after the
reorganization about the test subject, the student group's
information. Has the examination place information in the
basic database, which monitors an exam the teacher
information and is concrete several days to be possible to
arrange the test.
A. chromosome encoding
Uses the direct code expression, each individual
(chromosome) expresses a test time arrangement. The
individual may express for a length which constitutes by five
tuples is the 5n vector (n is test subject total) ([time1, day1,
room1, teacher1, group1]; ......; [timei, dayi, roomi, teacheri,
groupi]; ......; [timen, dayn, roomn, monitorn, groupn]), timei
expressed the ith test test time section, dayi expressed the ith
test date, roomi expressed the ith test is at the examination
place, monitori expressed the ith test monitors an exam the
teacher, groupi indicated participates in the ith test the student
group.Timei, dayi jointly expresses this test time cell; timei,
dayi, roomi and groupi possibly separately include many values,
this is because a test possibly participates by many student
group takes the continual several test time cell and takes many
examination places.
After in fact each subject monitors an exam the teacher is
arranges the test time to assign, moreover participates in the
random test the student group is before the arrangement test
time has determined, therefore the individual may simplify the
expression is three tuple vectors: ([time1, day1, room1]; ......;
[timei, dayi, roomi]; ……; [timen, dayn, roomn]).Does this only
is in order to simplify the code, in fact group and the monitor
information has not lost, may see in under to the sufficiency
function description in the concealment group and the monitor
information can apply in the restraint examination. Each
timetable (chromosome) may use a three dimensional structure
to indicate, like Figure I.
Figure 1. Expresses the timetable with the three dimensional structure
This encoding method has not considered the constraint
condition, therefore can have the massive individuals not to
satisfy the constraint condition, also has the massive
individuals is the test time arrangement question non feasible
solution. But is precisely because these not feasible solution
existence enables the search effective to jump out this sector,
thus made the algorithm to maintain good search ability [4].If
has used other code method, although each individual all is
feasible, but these methods often excessively many limit
adaptation value sector, thus has limited the obtained timetable
quality.
B. Adaptation value function
We use the penalty function to process the restraint as the
adaptation value, to violates the restraint the individual to carry
on the penalty, the constraint condition which the individual
violates are more, the penalty which receives is bigger, the
corresponding adaptation value is also smaller, in which most
superior individual adaptation value is biggest. The adaptation
value function description is as follows:
1If the c j restraint is violated
1 
f  v(c j )  
1   w j v (c j ) 0If the c restraint is satisfied
 j
wj is the jth restraint the penalty value which violates.
The algorithm violates the penalty value regarding the
restraint the assignment to be quite sensitive, some restraint
penalty value is higher, violates this penalty the individual
more to be able to plant the populace to eliminate, therefore
must compared to restrain softly to the hard restraint penalty
heavily.
The restraint is divided as mentioned above and restrains
hardly into the soft restraint two kinds. In actual examination
individual whether satisfies the restraint in the process, is most
greatly also most complex to the resource conflict restraint
examination computation load, the resource conflict restraint
contains in the hard restraint. The so-called resources are refer
to the examination place and the student group. The resource
conflict is refers to in the test time arrangement process in
some test time cell two or two above test subjects takes the
identical resources. The concrete resource conflict has 1, two or
two above test subject is arranged in the identical test time cell,
but has the student to have to participate in these tests.2nd, in
the identical examination place has arranged two or two above
test subjects in the identical test time cell. Following we to
explain the method of examination resources conflict.
First defines the binary variable Xcdtrg ˈWhen also only
works as in d and in the t union expression test time cell,
student group g participates in the c test subject when
examination place r the test, the Xcdtrg value is 1, otherwise the
Xcdtrg value is 0. May use two three dimensional structures to
express the test time cell, the student group, the examination
place, between the test subject these attribute relations. In
which all three dimensional structures x and y coordinates
expressed the date and in time section, in each structure z
coordinates separately express the examination place and the
student group every day. Regarding each test time cell all needs
to examine whether has the resource conflict. If is more than
test subject competition identical resources (student group or
examination place), has a resources conflict. This method had
guaranteed in each test time cell, all only has arranged a test for
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each examination place and each student group. Also is
corresponding Xdtrg =1.With the formula expressed this
examination conflict method is˖ 
course 1
DŽFor example:
Supposition test time cell situation like Figure II which
expressed by dayi and timej.
Figure 2. Test time cell situation
Needs to carry on the examination operation is:
group2˖ course1+course2+course3İ1
group3˖course2+course4İ1
C. Operator
1) Heuristic variation operator:
We use the heuristic variation operator to produce the new
individual, this operator is as follows: Regarding wants the
variation the timetable, selects a test subject stochastically,
chooses the variation test time cell or the variation examination
place stochastically, if variation test time cell, then first
inspects this test subject whether needs the continual many test
time cell, if only needs a test time cell, then carries on all test
time cell the championship tournament to choose, chooses
penalty value smallest achievement new individual the test time
cell, If needs n(nı2) continual test time cell, then selects all n
continuously test time cell the combination to carry on the
championship tournament to choose, chooses penalty value
smallest achievement new individual the test time cell; If the
choice variation examination place, selects m the examination
place combination which is composed by n examination place
to take stochastically new individual the test examination place,
in which n value should under guarantee these examination
places tolerate this test subject all examinees. If needs n(nı2)
continual test time cell, then selects all n continuously test time
cell the combination to carry on the championship tournament
to choose, chooses penalty value smallest achievement new
individual the test time cell; If the choice variation examination
place, selects m the examination place combination which is
composed by n examination place to take stochastically new
individual the test examination place, in which n value should
under guarantee these examination places tolerate this test
subject all examinees.
Uses such algorithm to have two reasons: Firstly, because
in the usual situation in the university test arrangement all
subject of examination altogether takes the test time cell integer
are not many, generally is smaller than 100, moreover only
then in the extremely special situation will only then present a
test to take continuously certain test time cell situation,
therefore in variation time cell time, even if will carry on all
test time cell the championship tournament to choose, like this
will not increase the computation load oversized; Secondly, in
the university may participate in the test arrangement the
classroom to be many, mostly surpasses 200, and after dividing
the standard examination place, this number doubled and re-
doubled will also increase, moreover in university's public class
test population can be many, for example the higher
mathematics, English and so on, these subject's test can take
certain examination places, for therefore as for does not
increase the computation load we only stochastically to select
m oversized the examination place combination which is
composed of n examination place to take new individual the
test examination place, here m should not be oversized.
This kind of heuristic variation operator will compare the
simple direct variation both to speed up the search speed and
not to increase the procedure computation load oversized,
moreover the championship tournament chose the scale was
relatively small some can obtain the good solution.
2) Choice operator:
According to adaptation value function size and the
probability to choice outstanding test time arrangement.
3) Regeneration operator:
The regeneration operator may describe is:
The new individual adaptation value is bigger than is equal
to the father individual, then the new individual replaces the
father individual.
The new individual adaptation value is smaller than the
father individual, also the father individual is not in the
community the best individual, then the new individual
replaces the father individual by certain probability.
This method has guaranteed the filial generation individual
best solution not compared to the father generation of
individual best prisoner escort.
D. Operator
University test timetable question genetic algorithm flow
S1:Stochastic production initial timetable community P(0)
= {X1, X2, ......Xn}, t=0;
S2: Calculates P(0) individual the adaptation value;
S3: If the adaptation value satisfies certain request (for
example continual q generation of adaptation value invariable)
or the evolution algebra achieved a predetermined value
changes to step 9;
S4: In P(t) with the choice factor choice individual, obtains
the new individual with the heuristic variation operator, then
carries on the regeneration operation;
S5: The filial generation replaces the entire community,
produces new population P (t+1);
S6: Calculates P (t+1) the individual adaptation value;
S7: t=t+1;
S8: Changes to step 3;
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S9: The algorithm ended, output test timetable
V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULT AND CONCLUSION
Chooses this school distance learning institute student and
the collated and corrected copy department undergraduate is
the test model, the distance learning institute 2002-2003 school
year spring the semester altogether has 35 test time cell, may
participate in the test arrangement standard examination place
97, the student approximately 3000 people. The collated and
corrected copy department 2002-2003 school year spring the
semester altogether has 75 test time cell, may participate in the
test arrangement standard examination place 232, the student
approximately 8000 people. Result like table I.
TABLE I. TEST RESULT
Average evolution Least evolution
Question
algebra algebra
School of Distance
learning 4578 2012
Main campus 12085 6786
This algorithm with the C language establishment, the
initial population scale is 50, the resources conflict penalty
value is 20, other hard restraint penalty value is 15, restrains
the penalty value is softly 3.Moves on AMD 1G PC machine,
finally succeeded obtained the question optimal solution.
Based on the genetic algorithm university test timetable
question solution method, this method mainly aims at in the
test time arrangement the concrete question to propose each
kind of corresponding heredity operation strategy, the
experiment proved this algorithm in the test time cell and the
examination place number is all not in the very big situation,
reduced the average evolution algebra enormously, and can
guarantee obtains the overall situation optimal solution in the
two number random situation.
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