Introduction to Quantitative Methods

SUMMARY: Operations Research constitutes a set of decision-making tools used by management and administration of organized military, governmental, commercial, and industrial processes. It is also described as an art of winning a war without actually fighting it. The science makes extensive use of traditional disciplines like logic, mathematics and statistics, as well as the recent developments like behavioral sciences and cybernetics.

The Operations Research tools were initially formulated to effectively deal with the war situation during the World War II. However, the use of these tools is not confined to the destructive purpose of war as they can also be applied by industries and other governmental agencies. In industries, the science helps managers to solve their business problems. Solving business problems by using Operations Research starts with formulating the