ISYE6644 (SIMULATION) MIDTERM 1
EXAM QUESTIONS & VERIFIED
COMPLETE ANSWERS
What are some characteristics of simulation models? - correct answer ✔✔1. Discrete (vs.
continuous)
2. Stochastic (vs. deterministic)
3. Dynamic (vs. static)
What is simulation? - correct answer ✔✔Simulation is the imitation of a real-world process of
system over time.
Simulation involves the generation of an artificial history to draw inferences concerning the
operating characteristics of the real system that is represented.
What is simulation good for? - correct answer ✔✔1. Describe / analyze real or conceptual
system behavior.
2. Ask "what if" questions.
3. Aid in system design and optimization
4. Can simulate almost anything
What are the reasons to simulate? - correct answer ✔✔1. Will the system accomplish its goals?
2. Current system won't accomplish its goals, now what?
3. Need incremental improvement.
4. Create a specification or action plan
5. Solve a problem, like a bottleneck.
,6. Resolve disputes
7. Sell an idea
What are the advantages of simulation? - correct answer ✔✔1. Can study models too
complicated for analytical / numerical treatment
2. Study detailed relations that might be lost in the analytical or numerical treatment
3. Use as a basis for experimental studies of systems
4. Use to check results and give credibility to conclusions obtained by other methods.
5. Reduce design blunders
6. Really nice demo method
7. (sometimes) very easy
What are the disadvantages of simulation? - correct answer ✔✔1. Sometimes not so easy
2. Sometimes very time consuming / costly
3. Simulations give "random" output (and lots of misinterpretation of results is possible)
4. To do a certain problem, better methods than simulation may exist
We are interested in modeling the arrival and service process at the local McBurger Queen
burger joint. Customers come in every once in a while, stand in line, eventually get served, and
off they go. Generally speaking, what kind of model are we talking about here? (More than one
answer below may be right.)
A) Discrete
B) Continuous
C) Stochastic
D) Deterministic - correct answer ✔✔(a) (because events such as arrivals and service
completions only happen once in a while, as opposed to continuously); and (c) (because
customer arrival times, service times, shift changes, etc., are all random).
, Which of the following can be regarded as advantages of simulation? (More than one answer
below may be right.)
A) Simulation enables you to study models too complicated for analytical or numerical
treatment.
B) Simulations can serve as very pretty demos that even University of Georgia graduates can
understand.
C) Simulation can be used to study detailed relations that might be lost in an analytical or
numerical treatment.
D) Simulations are often tedious and time-consuming to produce. - correct answer ✔✔A)
Simulation enables you to study models too complicated for analytical or numerical treatment.
B) Simulations can serve as very pretty demos that even University of Georgia graduates can
understand.
C) Simulation can be used to study detailed relations that might be lost in an analytical or
numerical treatment.
Who is William Gosset?
A) He invented the t distribution that is used ubiquitously in statistics.
B) He invented the s distribution that is used ubiquitously in statistics.
C) He invented tea.
D) He invented the word "ubiquitous".
E) He is the brother of Louis Gossett Jr., best known for his fine acting in many films, including
An Officer and a Gentleman. - correct answer ✔✔A) He invented the t distribution that is used
ubiquitously in statistics.
What was the first use of a computer simulation? - correct answer ✔✔Stan Ulam and Johnny
von Neumann in 1946 after world war 2. They used simulation in the context of the
development of the H bomb.
EXAM QUESTIONS & VERIFIED
COMPLETE ANSWERS
What are some characteristics of simulation models? - correct answer ✔✔1. Discrete (vs.
continuous)
2. Stochastic (vs. deterministic)
3. Dynamic (vs. static)
What is simulation? - correct answer ✔✔Simulation is the imitation of a real-world process of
system over time.
Simulation involves the generation of an artificial history to draw inferences concerning the
operating characteristics of the real system that is represented.
What is simulation good for? - correct answer ✔✔1. Describe / analyze real or conceptual
system behavior.
2. Ask "what if" questions.
3. Aid in system design and optimization
4. Can simulate almost anything
What are the reasons to simulate? - correct answer ✔✔1. Will the system accomplish its goals?
2. Current system won't accomplish its goals, now what?
3. Need incremental improvement.
4. Create a specification or action plan
5. Solve a problem, like a bottleneck.
,6. Resolve disputes
7. Sell an idea
What are the advantages of simulation? - correct answer ✔✔1. Can study models too
complicated for analytical / numerical treatment
2. Study detailed relations that might be lost in the analytical or numerical treatment
3. Use as a basis for experimental studies of systems
4. Use to check results and give credibility to conclusions obtained by other methods.
5. Reduce design blunders
6. Really nice demo method
7. (sometimes) very easy
What are the disadvantages of simulation? - correct answer ✔✔1. Sometimes not so easy
2. Sometimes very time consuming / costly
3. Simulations give "random" output (and lots of misinterpretation of results is possible)
4. To do a certain problem, better methods than simulation may exist
We are interested in modeling the arrival and service process at the local McBurger Queen
burger joint. Customers come in every once in a while, stand in line, eventually get served, and
off they go. Generally speaking, what kind of model are we talking about here? (More than one
answer below may be right.)
A) Discrete
B) Continuous
C) Stochastic
D) Deterministic - correct answer ✔✔(a) (because events such as arrivals and service
completions only happen once in a while, as opposed to continuously); and (c) (because
customer arrival times, service times, shift changes, etc., are all random).
, Which of the following can be regarded as advantages of simulation? (More than one answer
below may be right.)
A) Simulation enables you to study models too complicated for analytical or numerical
treatment.
B) Simulations can serve as very pretty demos that even University of Georgia graduates can
understand.
C) Simulation can be used to study detailed relations that might be lost in an analytical or
numerical treatment.
D) Simulations are often tedious and time-consuming to produce. - correct answer ✔✔A)
Simulation enables you to study models too complicated for analytical or numerical treatment.
B) Simulations can serve as very pretty demos that even University of Georgia graduates can
understand.
C) Simulation can be used to study detailed relations that might be lost in an analytical or
numerical treatment.
Who is William Gosset?
A) He invented the t distribution that is used ubiquitously in statistics.
B) He invented the s distribution that is used ubiquitously in statistics.
C) He invented tea.
D) He invented the word "ubiquitous".
E) He is the brother of Louis Gossett Jr., best known for his fine acting in many films, including
An Officer and a Gentleman. - correct answer ✔✔A) He invented the t distribution that is used
ubiquitously in statistics.
What was the first use of a computer simulation? - correct answer ✔✔Stan Ulam and Johnny
von Neumann in 1946 after world war 2. They used simulation in the context of the
development of the H bomb.
