How to use this guide
This guide covers Chapters 5 and 6. 01 to 03 are simulation: building a model in @RISK, putting a confidence interval around its output, and comparing decisions with the same random numbers. 04 to 08 are queuing: the vocabulary, arrival and service rates, simulating a line by hand, the M/M/1 formulas, and choosing a service level by cost. Tab 09 is about Chapter 4: decision analysis may be on your final, so check your outline.
Inside a topic: read the idea, look at the formula, then open the worked example and follow every step. Close it and redo it on paper. Then change the numbers in the lab until the answer stops surprising you, and finish with the traps.
Then practise. The Drill, the multiple-choice bank and the flashcards are all levelled:
| Level | What it asks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | A definition, or one step: read one number or apply one formula | What is the average time between arrivals when λ = 12 per hour? |
| Intermediate | A standard problem in a few steps | Find Lq and Wq for an M/M/1 queue |
| Exam level | A full exam-style question that strings several steps together | Build a 95% confidence interval from @RISK output and state it properly |
| Hard | Twists: topics combined, working backwards, and the traps that cost the most marks | Find the service rate that keeps the average wait under 5 minutes |
The question generator starts on Auto: it begins at Beginner and moves up a level after three correct answers in a row. You can pick a level yourself at any time. The multiple-choice bank and flashcards are ordered from easy to hard, so working through them in order builds each idea from the ground up.
Exam format, weight and allowed aids differ between sections and terms. Check your own course outline.
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This is the first section. The full guide has every topic, the labs and the practice questions.
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