The Illustrated Pivot

Peter L. Jackson

School of Operations Research and Industrial Engineering

Cornell University

Sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation Synthesis Coalition for Engineering Education.

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Table of Contents

• Title
• Sample Screens
• Abstract
• Related Topics
• Background Assumed
• Duration of Exercise
• Supplementary Lecture
• Software Requirements
• Copyright
• Assessment
• Files
• Other Documents

Sample Screens

Intro Screen

Pivot Screen

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Abstract

The Illustrated Pivot is an interactive book to illustrate the fundamental step in the simplex method of linear programming.

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Related Topics

Linear programming

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Background Assumed

High school algebra. The exercise has been used with Engineering Juniors. It is planned for use with Engineering Freshmen.

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Duration of Exercise

The exercise is designed to be run in a 2 hour microcomputer laboratory period. It is also used during lecture.

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Supplementary Lecture

The exercise must be preceded or accompanied by a lecture based on Chapter 2 of Vasek Chvatal's text "Linear Programming" (W.H. Freeman and Company: New York) 1983.

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Software Requirements

Microsoft Windows 3.1
Asymmetrix Runtime Toolbook v.1.5
Microsoft Excel 2.1+ (Optional)

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Copyright

Public domain. Modify exercise as you wish.

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Assessment

Has only been used once. Student reviews were mixed. When used in lecture, the instructor must take care not to step through the pivot too quickly. It appears to have been a valuable laboratory exercise. However, until the students actually perform the pivot calculations manually, the theory doesn't stick.

Students on their own initiative used the software to check their calculations in subsequent homework exercises.

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Files

To download the zip file, click here: pivot.zip (83025 bytes). Contents:

pivot.tbk

Exercise book for the Illustrated Pivot. Links to spreadsheets are optional. (Toolbook v. 1.5)

pivot.xls

Spreadsheet linked to pivot.tbk using DDE (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet)

pivot.xlc

Chart linked to pivot.tbk using DDE (Microsoft Excel chart)

pivot.txt

This note. (ASCII text)

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Other Documents

• Biographical Sketches
• Peter L. Jackson Home Page

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