ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICA DEL LITORAL (ESPOL)

Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Ciencias de la Producción

WORKSHOP 3 Integer
Programming 2020-1
Instructor: Isabel Alcívar, MSc
Date: June 24th, 2020

There’s no need to rewrite each problem description. You can complete your assignment using a word
processor program, or you can upload a pdf/jpeg with the scans of your handwritten work.

This workshop is to be completed individually in SIDWeb. Keep in mind your Honor

Code.

GOAL
• Formulate discrete optimization models to solve complex problems, by identifying
variables, constraints, costs/profits.

ACTIVITIES

Answer each of the following questions in your own words, based on the invited speaker’s
presentation.

Question 1 (20%)
What was the problem needed to be solved?
The problem was that they needed a plan to reduce the cost of refilling the fuel tank of a vehicle
over a year. So, they needed to specify when to refill, how many gallons to refill, and how many
times they have to go the gasoline station in the week.

Question 2 (30%)
What data was used? Was data treatment necessary? How?
A lot of data was used. They needed information about the fuel tank capacity of each type of
vehicle and the future price of the gasoline over the next year. They also needed the gasoline
average consumption of each type of vehicle. They used the prices data to forecast. But there
was a problem, there was too many data. So, they aggregate it weekly to reduce it and make it
easier. On the other hand, the gasoline average consumption data was on years, so they
disaggregate it on weeks. For that they needed to make some assumptions. That the prices of
gasoline don’t vary significantly within the week.
Question 3 (50%)
List at least the 4 main takeaways you took from the speaker’s presentation.
• Always start with an easy model and then make it more complex. Sometimes we overthink and
make the problem even more difficult than it really is.
• When there is no specific data, we can make assumptions. But we have to establish them
correctly. Clearly specify that our model is based under some assumptions.
• There is no unfeasible solution. We can always analyze the constraints and make some changes.
Sometimes we’re considering things that aren’t necessary.
• It is very common that we don’t have all the data we need. So, it is really important to know how
to gather it.
• When we are forecasting, it is better to use the last data period as a way to validate the forecast.