Using algorithms to teach problem solving

Solving Fleet Scheduling Problem using Metaheuristic Algorithms

Using Spreadsheets to Teach Problem Solving in a First Year Class

The “problem solving” portion of a two semester first year electrical engineering conrse is described. This course makes use of personal computers and spreadsheets to try to improve students’ problem solving skills. The goal is to give students a better understanding of engineering concepts and not just mathematical details. In addition to describing the course contents, a brief review of the r...

Solving the Economic Load Dispatch Problem Considering Units with Different Fuels Using Evolutionary Algorithms

Nowadays, economic load dispatch between generation units with least cost involved is one of the most important issues in utilizing power systems. In this paper, a new method i.e. Water Cycle Algorithm (WCA) which is similar to other intelligent algorithm and is based on swarm, is employed in order to solve the economic load dispatch problem between power plants. In order to investigate the eff...

Solving a generalized aggregate production planning problem by genetic algorithms

This paper presents a genetic algorithm (GA) for solving a generalized model of single-item resource-constrained aggregate production planning (APP) with linear cost functions. APP belongs to a class of pro-duction planning problems in which there is a single production variable representing the total production of all products. We linearize a linear mixed-integer model of APP subject to hiring...

Solving LEGO brick layout problem using Evolutionary Algorithms

LEGO® presented the following problem at the SCAI’01 conference in February 2001: Given any 3D body, how can it be built from LEGO bricks? We apply methods of Evolutionary Algorithms (EA) to solve this optimization problem. For this purpose several specific operators are defined, applied, and their use is compared. In addition, mutation operators with dynamic rate of mutation updated based on t...