A.E. Aksenov – Engineer, Deputy Head of Department,  JSC «Typhoon» (Kaluga) E-mail: rtsys@mail.ru

A.M. Donetskov – Ph.D.(Eng.), Associate Professor,  Department «Information Systems and Networks», Kaluga branch of the Bauman MSTU

E-mail: dam1358@mail.ru

A.S. Nikolaev – Ph.D.(Eng.), Associate Professor,  Department «Information Systems and Networks», Kaluga branch of the Bauman MSTU E-mail: nikolanta@yandex.ru

Combinatorial tasks play an important role in the design of electronic devices. The article discusses the original approach to solving one of the most interesting combinatorial coverage problems. The article discusses various options for this problem and their solution by means of Excel using the following example. There is an organization involved in supporting various projects. Distribution of employees on projects is given in article. The author considered four options of this task and ways of their decision are shown by means of Excel.

The first option it is necessary to optimize structure of the organization so that all projects could carry out the minimum number of employees. The solution of this task by the Petrick’s method is shown in article. The paper considers the solution of this option using the Excel tool «Solver». The solution found coincides with one of the optimal ones, obtained in an algebraic method. The second option of this task: it is necessary to choose such minimum number of employees that in case of a disease of one of them, remained could work on this project. I.e. it is necessary to provide duplication. To solve a problem means of Excel, it is necessary to change a condition only. The decision was received that it is necessary to leave four employees for implementation of all projects with duplication. The third version of this task provided that employees have different priorities in the organization. It was necessary to select such employees so that their overall priority was maximum. The fourth option of this task provided that it is necessary to leave certain employees. It was shown in the article that to solve this variant of the problem, using Excel tools, it is enough to add a new column to the table, with values equal to 1 if the employee should be left in the corresponding row and equal to 0 otherwise. Also in dialogue of parameters Solver it is necessary to add the restriction equal to the number of employees whom it is necessary to leave. Thus in article on a concrete example it is shown that Excel is an excellent means of solving combinatory tasks.

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