MTH4333 Discrete optimisation
Faculty of Science
MTH4333 Discrete optimisation is a level 4, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Science. It isn't offered in 2026. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Not offered
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
The 2027 handbook has no page for MTH4333. This is its 2026 entry, the latest one.
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Requisites
Before MTH4333
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After MTH4333
No unit lists MTH4333 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
COREQUISITE: Enrolment in the Master of Mathematics
PREREQUISITE: MTH3330
PROHIBITION: MTH5333
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
This unit provides an introduction to optimisation over discrete domains using integer programming and combinatorial methods. Discrete optimisation is frequently used to model decision problems in business and industry. This unit covers some of the mathematical tools required to solve these types of problems in practice. Building on linear programming, the unit will cover dynamic programming, branch-and-bound, polyhedral analysis, decomposition methods and an introduction to heuristic search for combinatorial optimisation problems.
Offerings in 2026
The 2026 handbook lists no offerings for MTH4333.
Assessment
- Continuous assessmentDemonstration50%
- Final assessment - Exam (3 hours and 10 minutes)Examination50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Develop specialised mathematical knowledge in discrete optimisation.
- 2
Understand the profound connections between discrete optimisation, continuous optimisation and combinatorics.
- 3
Apply sophisticated combinatorial optimisation and integer programming methods to a variety of practical optimisation problems.
- 4
Translate practical problem descriptions into mathematical formulations as discrete optimisation problems and communicate the results to non-technical audiences.
- 5
Apply critical thinking in the field of operations research.
Workload and teaching
- Applied sessions11 hours
- Seminars36 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- 3 hours of seminars;
- 1-hour applied session and
- 8 hours of independent study per week.
The unit will be taught in 3 hours of lectures per week with a one hour applied class. The lectures will cover the theory underpinning discrete optimisation algorithms and provide some guidance as to how to apply this theory. The applied class and assignments will give you a chance to apply the theory to new problems and to gain hands on experience in solving discrete optimisation problems computationally.
Learning resources
Technology resources
A computing server (Jupyter server) will be provided for students to use with computational exercises.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Andreas Ernst
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Andreas Ernst
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTH4333?
MTH4333 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTH4333 offered?
MTH4333 has no offerings listed in the 2026 handbook.
Does MTH4333 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.