Information Systems
Chapter 1
Introduction to Simulation
A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Whether done by hand or on a computer, simulation involves the generation of an artificial history of a system, and the observation of that artificial history to draw inferences concerning the operating characteristics of the real system.
The behavior of a system as it evolves over time is studied by developing a simulation model. This model usually takes the form of a set of assumptions concerning the operation of the system. These assumptions are expressed in mathematical, logical, and symbolic relationships between the entities, or objects of interest, of the system. Once developed and validated. a model can be used to investigate a wide variety of "what if" questions about the real world system. Potential changes to the system can first be simulated in order to predict their impact on system performance. Simulation can also be used to study systems in the design stage, before such systems are built. Thus, simulation modeling can be used both as an analysis tool for predicting the effect of changes to existing systems, and as a design tool to predict the performance of new systems under varying sets of circumstances.
In some instances, a model can be developed which is simple enough to be "solved" by mathematical methods. Such solutions may be found by the use of differential calculus, probability theory, algebraic methods, or other mathematical techniques. The solution usually consists of one or more numerical parameters, which are called measures of performance of the system. However, many real-world systems are so complex that models of these systems are virtually impossible to solve mathematically. In these instances, numerical, computer-based simulation can be used to imitate the behavior of the system over time. From the simulation, data are collected as if a real system were being observed. This
Introduction to Simulation
A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Whether done by hand or on a computer, simulation involves the generation of an artificial history of a system, and the observation of that artificial history to draw inferences concerning the operating characteristics of the real system.
The behavior of a system as it evolves over time is studied by developing a simulation model. This model usually takes the form of a set of assumptions concerning the operation of the system. These assumptions are expressed in mathematical, logical, and symbolic relationships between the entities, or objects of interest, of the system. Once developed and validated. a model can be used to investigate a wide variety of "what if" questions about the real world system. Potential changes to the system can first be simulated in order to predict their impact on system performance. Simulation can also be used to study systems in the design stage, before such systems are built. Thus, simulation modeling can be used both as an analysis tool for predicting the effect of changes to existing systems, and as a design tool to predict the performance of new systems under varying sets of circumstances.
In some instances, a model can be developed which is simple enough to be "solved" by mathematical methods. Such solutions may be found by the use of differential calculus, probability theory, algebraic methods, or other mathematical techniques. The solution usually consists of one or more numerical parameters, which are called measures of performance of the system. However, many real-world systems are so complex that models of these systems are virtually impossible to solve mathematically. In these instances, numerical, computer-based simulation can be used to imitate the behavior of the system over time. From the simulation, data are collected as if a real system were being observed. This