Question for Excel Geeks

[bird_1972]

As part of a decision model class I'm taking, we are using the "solver" function on the Tools drop-down menu to help create optimal solutions given sets of given variables and constraints.

The problem for me is that I'm trying to limit the output to integer values and don't know how to configure solver to do that for me.

Does anyone with some deep Excel knowledge know how I can do this?

Thanks a lot guys.
:cheers:

[chomerics]

Originally posted by bird_1972
As part of a decision model class I'm taking, we are using the "solver" function on the Tools drop-down menu to help create optimal solutions given sets of given variables and constraints.

The problem for me is that I'm trying to limit the output to integer values and don't know how to configure solver to do that for me.

Does anyone with some deep Excel knowledge know how I can do this?

Thanks a lot guys.
:cheers:

Does the output HAVE to be an integer value for somewhere in the program, or can you just change the output column to be an integer value?

If it was me, I'd change the field where the formula is placed, this will give you an integer value for somewhere down the line. . .

[bird_1972]

Originally posted by chomerics


Does the output HAVE to be an integer value for somewhere in the program, or can you just change the output column to be an integer value?

If it was me, I'd change the field where the formula is placed, this will give you an integer value for somewhere down the line. . .

Thanks for the reply, Chom.

Basically, I created a binary matrix of zeros and ones linked to a corresponding payout table and the created binary matrix are the cells the solver program is supposed to change to create a set output. What was happening was that once I set all of the necessary constraints and clicked "solve", an occasional VERY low number on the order of 10 to the -18 power (ie, very close to zero) would end up in one of the cells of my matrix. The only thing I could think of to correct the problem was to highlight all of the cells in my binary matrix and set them to be constrained to and integer value. This still does not work. Perhaps I'm being anal retentive about this, but wanted to see if someone with more than just a cursory knowledge of Excel (and computers, for that matter) might have some insight.

By the way, I read your thread and am glad you are doing well. Boston a great city, and I'm sure with your new apt and Harvard grad school (are you going to Kennedy?), you'll have plenty to get you back on the right track.

[chomerics]

Originally posted by bird_1972


Thanks for the reply, Chom.

Basically, I created a binary matrix of zeros and ones linked to a corresponding payout table and the created binary matrix are the cells the solver program is supposed to change to create a set output. What was happening was that once I set all of the necessary constraints and clicked "solve", an occasional VERY low number on the order of 10 to the -18 power (ie, very close to zero) would end up in one of the cells of my matrix. The only thing I could think of to correct the problem was to highlight all of the cells in my binary matrix and set them to be constrained to and integer value. This still does not work. Perhaps I'm being anal retentive about this, but wanted to see if someone with more than just a cursory knowledge of Excel (and computers, for that matter) might have some insight.



Damn, I know exactly what you are talking about in excel (the integer problem) I used to know a work around for it, as I remember it happening to me in college. If I remember correctly, I think there is a function called integer, or something like that, but I don't know if you need tht functions addon during installation to use it. If I remember correctly, I think it wend something like. . . . INTEGER(put your formula in here)

You can even do absolute value of the integer, and I think it was something like ABSINTEGER(formula). Again, I can't remember if these were the exact formula callouts, or if it was something like INTGR(), but I do remember having this same issue a bunch of years ago.



By the way, I read your thread and am glad you are doing well. Boston a great city, and I'm sure with your new apt and Harvard grad school (are you going to Kennedy?), you'll have plenty to get you back on the right track.

Yes, it is Kennedy I will be attending. I have already talked to two of the professors through e-mail and they seem to think I can do it.

I am also contemplating another masters in Haptics and bioelectrical engineering. I would take one course in gov't and one in the bio/electrical engineering field. BTW, Haptics is the study of controlling machines with a remote operated force feedback system (think of officers being operated on wirelessly vis a doctor in another truck on the battlefield, or the human controlled robots in alien) and Bioelectrical engineering is the study of the interaction with neuro-tissue and circuits. Right now, we are just starting to examine how to get the brain to interact with electrical components and it will be the first steps towards our ultimate goal in life and evolution (IMHO) immortality. I think that in the future, we will be able to manpulate electro/mechanical systems with our brain, as well as download our brain onto a hard-drive. I would absolutely LOVE to hace a profound change on society, and I think this field is a great place to start.

Hey it is great to have grandious plans, and if I do fail, at least I will be a more knowledgable and better man for gaining additional insight :)

[bird_1972]

Originally posted by chomerics


Damn, I know exactly what you are talking about in excel (the integer problem) I used to know a work around for it, as I remember it happening to me in college. If I remember correctly, I think there is a function called integer, or something like that, but I don't know if you need tht functions addon during installation to use it. If I remember correctly, I think it wend something like. . . . INTEGER(put your formula in here)

You can even do absolute value of the integer, and I think it was something like ABSINTEGER(formula). Again, I can't remember if these were the exact formula callouts, or if it was something like INTGR(), but I do remember having this same issue a bunch of years ago.



Yes, it is Kennedy I will be attending. I have already talked to two of the professors through e-mail and they seem to think I can do it.

I am also contemplating another masters in Haptics and bioelectrical engineering. I would take one course in gov't and one in the bio/electrical engineering field. BTW, Haptics is the study of controlling machines with a remote operated force feedback system (think of officers being operated on wirelessly vis a doctor in another truck on the battlefield, or the human controlled robots in alien) and Bioelectrical engineering is the study of the interaction with neuro-tissue and circuits. Right now, we are just starting to examine how to get the brain to interact with electrical components and it will be the first steps towards our ultimate goal in life and evolution (IMHO) immortality. I think that in the future, we will be able to manpulate electro/mechanical systems with our brain, as well as download our brain onto a hard-drive. I would absolutely LOVE to hace a profound change on society, and I think this field is a great place to start.

Hey it is great to have grandious plans, and if I do fail, at least I will be a more knowledgable and better man for gaining additional insight :)

Dude,

That's fascinating stuff. This class is actually for business school at Columbia. It is totally outside of my comfort zone and not having really used a computer in my current line of work (with the obvious exception of surfing the net and email) makes even mundane tasks in Excel a bit of a challenge for me. I love it, though. Taking grad school again is tough (especially while working full time) but very gratifying. If I could take classes for a living, I'd do it in a second.:laugh:

As for the biomedical engineering stuff, sounds pretty heavy. I know that Boston has a concentration of biotech, so Im sure there is some exciting work being done in this area up there. I'll have to touch base with my neurosurgeon and neurology friends where I work and ask them if they know about this stuff. They might have even done research in it.

Thanks for the advise

[yank]

There's an INT function that rounds down to the nearest integer.

If you need the closest integer add 0.5 to whatever you have in the parentheses.

[OrangeSkin]

No, no, no, you're all wrong. The fact of the matter is that the exclusionary factoid must remain on the exterior of the brackets in order to maintain a functional Kreigmann's Pyramid. Consider it this way; assuming the absolute value of 2 is -2, the infinite coefficient will hence be dependent upon the contingent absolute value. After multiplying matrix A with matrix B, we will then be confronted with a conundrum; how to coalesce section C with B and still keep the binary language in it's correct form? The answer is simple. Redirect the neccessary voltage from Matrix A into the vanguard of infinity. Hence, the power will be unlimited.

[bird_1972]

Originally posted by OrangeSkin
No, no, no, you're all wrong. The fact of the matter is that the exclusionary factoid must remain on the exterior of the brackets in order to maintain a functional Kreigmann's Pyramid. Consider it this way; assuming the absolute value of 2 is -2, the infinite coefficient will hence be dependent upon the contingent absolute value. After multiplying matrix A with matrix B, we will then be confronted with a conundrum; how to coalesce section C with B and still keep the binary language in it's correct form? The answer is simple. Redirect the neccessary voltage from Matrix A into the vanguard of infinity. Hence, the power will be unlimited. :rolleyes:

[Thiebear]

Not positive your looking for this but:
http://www.emesystems.com/BS2math4.htm

[bird_1972]

Thanks for all the help guys. I got it figured out.

Now if I could only figure out SolverTable :mad: .

[OrangeSkin]

Hey, don't roll your eyes at me, bird. You wanna go?

[Ancalagon the Black]

Originally posted by OrangeSkin
Consider it this way; assuming the absolute value of 2 is -2

If we assume that, we can probably prove anything, considering it's untrue. :)

[OrangeSkin]

But then, ancalagon, you have to ask...what is truth? The only truth is that there is no truth. So the absolute value of 2 can be -2. Or can it? That would be untrue as well. Actually, it's true at this point because it is considered untrue, but if it were to become the norm as it currently is not, then it would be untrue because accepted truth is inherently untrue due to the subjectivity of "truth". :)

[Ancalagon the Black]

No.


;)

[OrangeSkin]

Damn rationalists. ;)

[iheartskins]

OrangeSkin, this statement is false.

For more, I recommend this book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0465026567/qid=1117420792/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-9416978-0438226?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).

[OrangeSkin]

iheartskins, everything I've said in this thread has been purely tongue-in-cheek. :)

I know absolutely nothing about math.

[iheartskins]

Originally posted by OrangeSkin
iheartskins, everything I've said in this thread has been purely tongue-in-cheek. :)

I know absolutely nothing about math.

Oh, I know. I assumed that math quote you made was a movie quote or something comparable.

I just raised the Godel quote in case you were interested in some philosophy that deals with the implications of the absolute value of 2 being -2 and other theories that are along those lines. That's the only reason I raised it--not to be jerk or anything like that. :)

[OrangeSkin]

I actually am. That book looks really interesting. Thanks for the tip. :)

[Yomar]

Originally posted by bird_1972


Dude,

That's fascinating stuff. This class is actually for business school at Columbia. It is totally outside of my comfort zone and not having really used a computer in my current line of work (with the obvious exception of surfing the net and email) makes even mundane tasks in Excel a bit of a challenge for me. I love it, though. Taking grad school again is tough (especially while working full time) but very gratifying. If I could take classes for a living, I'd do it in a second.:laugh:

As for the biomedical engineering stuff, sounds pretty heavy. I know that Boston has a concentration of biotech, so Im sure there is some exciting work being done in this area up there. I'll have to touch base with my neurosurgeon and neurology friends where I work and ask them if they know about this stuff. They might have even done research in it.

Thanks for the advise

I took that class last summer with Juran. I would recommend asking the prof or classmates, but if you have any other questions, I may be able to help

[bird_1972]

Originally posted by OrangeSkin
Hey, don't roll your eyes at me, bird. You wanna go?

Sure, where to?
:silly:

[OrangeSkin]

To, uh, MY FIST!

*ooooohhhh*

[bird_1972]

Originally posted by OrangeSkin
To, uh, MY FIST!

*ooooohhhh*

:doh: Ugghh!

[Blondie]

Do what?

:laugh:

;)

Blondie