Blogs (19) >>
Thu 16 Mar 2023 10:45 - 11:10 at 801A - Upper-Division Course Design and Context Chair(s): Susan Fox

The Simplex algorithm for solving linear programs – one of Computing in Science & Engineering’s top 10 most influential algorithms of the 20th century – is an important topic in many algorithms courses. While the Simplex algorithm relies on intuitive geometric ideas, the computationally-involved mechanics of the algorithm can obfuscate a geometric understanding. In this paper, we present GILP, an easy-to-use Simplex algorithm visualization tool designed to explicitly connect the mechanical steps of the algorithm with their geometric interpretation. We provide an extensive library with example visualizations, and our tool allows an instructor to quickly produce custom interactive HTML files for students to experiment with the algorithm (without requiring students to install anything!). The tool can also be used for interactive assignments in Jupyter notebooks, and has been incorporated into a forthcoming Data Science and Decision-Making interactive textbook. In this paper, we first describe how the tool fits into the existing literature on algorithm visualizations: how it was designed to facilitate student engagement and instructor adoption, and how it substantially extends existing algorithm visualization tools for Simplex. We then describe the development and usage of the tool, and report feedback from its use in a course with roughly 100 students. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with students finding the tool easy to use: it effectively helped them link the algebraic and geometrical views of the Simplex algorithm and understand its nuances. Finally, GILP is open-source, includes an extension to visualizing linear programming-based branch-and-bound, and is readily amenable to further extensions.

Thu 16 Mar

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10:45 - 12:00
Upper-Division Course Design and ContextPapers at 801A
Chair(s): Susan Fox Macalester College
10:45
25m
Paper
GILP: An Interactive Tool for Visualizing the Simplex AlgorithmIn-Person
Papers
Henry Robbins Cornell University, Samuel Gutekunst Bucknell University, David Shmoys Cornell University, David Williamson Cornell University
DOI
11:10
25m
Paper
Measuring the Impact of a Computational Linear Algebra Course on Students' Exam Performance in a Subsequent Numerical Methods CourseIn-PersonGlobal
Papers
Hongxuan Chen University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Matthew West University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Sascha Hilgenfeldt University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mariana Silva University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
DOI
11:35
25m
Paper
Students’ Perceptions on Engaging Database Domains and StructuresIn-PersonGlobal
Papers
Daphne Miedema Eindhoven University of Technology, Toni Taipalus University of Jyväskylä, Efthimia Aivaloglou Delft University of Technology
DOI