How to use this guide
Go through the topics in order. Each one builds on the one before: 01 gives you the vocabulary, 02 teaches you to write an LP, 03 solves a two-variable LP by drawing it, 04 hands bigger models to Excel Solver (including whole-number and yes/no decisions), 05 reads what Solver tells you afterwards, and 06 applies it all to shipping and assignment grids. 07 Forecasting stands on its own, so you can do it any time.
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 binary and sensitivity question generators, 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 does a cyclical index of 0.80 mean? |
| Intermediate | A standard problem in a few steps | Find the weighted moving average forecast |
| Exam level | A full exam-style question that strings several steps together | Solve two binding constraints, then find the profit at that corner |
| Hard | Twists: topics combined, working backwards, and the traps that cost the most marks | Given two forecasts and an actual, find the α that was used |
The question generators start on Auto: they begin at Beginner and move 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 and your instructor's exam information.
Sign in to open the full guide
This is the first section. The full guide has every topic, the labs and the practice questions.
Create an account · Forgot password, or no password yet? Got a code link from your class? Open it and it will ask you to sign in.