Linear Programming …
I am fairly accustomed to using different methods to solve problems. In most cases I need to break down the problem to find a creative and custom solution because no documentation of something similar can be found. I almost always start by having a simple solution mapped out in excel and then to complete the calculations I create the calculations in code. This is often necessary since the complexity of the calculations become unwieldly in excel.
Until recently, I did not realize that many of the solutions I created were just linear programs. Some examples were just graphical solutions but as the problems became more complicated, I was creating greedy solutions or recursive solutions. Some of my solutions were even using the Excel Solver feature which is a form of linear programming.
I have now started using the python package called PuLP. It is a great linear programming package that simplifies the setup and reduces the time needed to test the code. I was able to design, run, and validate my solutions in one afternoon. My inspiration to learn more about linear programming occurred when reading about urban planning and finding that the transportation problems were often solved by optimizing schedules.
