George Dantzig, 1914-2005

Markus Registrada writes "George Dantzig, the inventor of the Simplex method for solving Linear Programming problems, died on May 13. He was also the now-legendary student who turned in solutions for what he had taken to be a homework assignment, only to find out they had been posted as examples of what were suspected to be unsolvable problems."

Comments

I hope Paul Erdos is right.

[FlyByPC]

If so, George has certainly earned a look at The Book. (The one containing all possible mathematical theorems...)

Re:Karma-whoring clarifier X2

[Mr.Zong]

Quadratic Programming is used in solving portfolio optimisation problems, a mathematical way to ensure a portfolio of risky assets are diversified.

Well, to backtrack a bit, we can use linear programming for making predictions "pragmatically". Think the lame old spreadsheet neural net :P

I mean, saying that linear programming has little to do with computing kind of slaps the best program ever made in its face.

The Spread Sheet (I default to Excel, but insert you fav modern flavor)

Excel is probably the most powerful, robust, versatile, used for everything and the kitchen sink, program ever created. It's a freaking Swiss army knife, and it's because of Linear Programming.

We may not directly use it (ever), but Linear Programming has shaped modern computing as we know it.

At least he was lucky.

[Spy der Mann]

What happend to me was the opposite.

A few years ago my math teacher gave us an exam with one particular problem that I couldn't solve. (Apparently a typo or misplaced sign made a rather simple problem into an unsolvable one).
So I went to the library, researched on the problem, and found out it was unsolvable. I PROVED IT mathematically, but the teacher didn't believe me.
And my grade wasn't changed! Doesn't that suck!?

Lesson to be learned: Life's not fair. SPECIALLY with underpaid teachers designing the exams. Hmph.

A new way of teaching?

[John Seminal]

He was also the now-legendary student who turned in solutions for what he had taken to be a homework assignment, only to find out they had been posted as examples of what were suspected to be unsolvable problems

I can't help but think if he ever would have solved those problems had he been taught first that they were unsolvable??

Schizo Person #1- "Look, there is an elephant in the room"
Schizo Person #2- "Shhh!!! There is no elephant"
Schizo Person #1- "But..."
Schizo Person #2- "No buts, you don't want them to think you're crazy"

Soon Schizo Person #1 stopps seeing the elephant. It really does not exists to him

Re:LP's

[log2.0]

hehe, I was thinking about applying the LP solving technique to these types of games but they made it difficult...For example, in warcraft 3, there are different types of armour and "attacks". So you have to choose which type of armoured and attack units to make. I am very certain that Blizzard looked at the linear space and made sure that the constraints in the system all had the same n-dimensional slope.

A few years ago, I looked into it for night elves and that was the case for a few units.

Either way, if the game did have some inbalance, you *could* find it if you could be bothered :)

I really suffered LP

[ArgieNomad]

Well folks, I'm an accountant. You can have all the fun you want about having an accountant here, but that's the way it is. In Argentina, where I come from, that was the best way to land a management position in no time, which I'm still waiting for.

All that aside, I love technology in all its forms, just in case.

Studying my 4th year, we've been teached LP, as a way to solve transport route problems, and minimum stock estimates, optimizing resources and stuff, in an assignment called "Operations Research".

I hope one of my fellow students will read this, but I really doubt an graduate from Facultad de Ciencias Economicas - Universidad Nacional de Cordoba would read /.

We always dreamed about finding the damn mf that invented the simplex method, but the net was far from being an accesible thing those days, so now that I find out about Dantzig, I'm kinda sad. There was a time when I would have cursed his family and chased him if he was within reach, but now I pay him honors, as one of many bright minds that go by unnoticed for students and developing minds all over the world.

My respect

Not really...

[Kjella]

...if you had a unique goal function and linear equations perhaps. First of all, you are playing against an opponent, so the optimal strategy will depend on his strategy. If they have done this well, there should be a "scissors-paper-rock" balance with no dominant strategy. Secondly, the strength of a battle group is not linear (that is why you have a certain mix of heavy fortifications, long-range artillery, light troopers etc etc). It's not like you can describe it as A*x1+B*x2+C*x3.... = strength, because any one troop type alone would probably be wiped out quickly (unless you have a dominant type, which would make the game rather silly).

Kjella