Dynamic Programming and Stochastic Models

Catalog description

The course goal is to provide a brief but fairly rigorous introduction to the formulation and solution of dynamic programs. Its focus is primarily methodological. We will cover discrete state space problems, over finite or infinite time horizon, with and without discounting. Structured policies and their theoretical foundation will be of particular interest. Computational methods and approximation methods will be addressed. Applications are presented throughout the course, such as inventory policies, production control, financial decisions, and scheduling.