MTH5333 Discrete optimisation
Faculty of Science
MTH5333 Discrete optimisation is a level 5, 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
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MTH5333
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After MTH5333
No unit lists MTH5333 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
PROHIBITION: MTH5333
COREQUISITE: Enrolment in the Master of Mathematics
PREREQUISITE: MTH3330
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 MTH5333.
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
- 3 hours of seminars;
- 1-hour applied class and
- 10 hours of independent study per week.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Andreas Ernst
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Andreas Ernst
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTH5333?
MTH5333 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTH5333 offered?
MTH5333 has no offerings listed in the 2026 handbook.
Does MTH5333 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.