Spreadsheet Models for Managers

Session 2

Analysis and Synthesis
Summary of Pages

he technique in which we decompose a problem into parts, and then deal with the parts is called analysis. In synthesis, we reassemble the parts to obtain the solution to the original problem. For many problems, only this approach makes them tractable.

But when we try it, we can still get lost in a maze of details and complexity. To limit this risk, Excel offers a variety of tools, the most valuable of which are array arithmetic and matrix products. These methods enable us to deal with arrays of data at a very high level, reducing the need to enter formulas in individual cells, removing from the formulas any dependence on the size of the arrays, and reducing the number of cells that we have to maintain.

These methods are powerful. And the best part is: relatively few people use them or even understand them. Many of our students have remarked that these techniques alone justified the effort and cost of taking this course.

Below is a summary of pages for Session 2.

1. Review of Last Time
2. Analysis and Synthesis
3. Example of Analysis and Synthesis
4. Implementation
5. Arrays in Excel
6. Array Arithmetic
7. Matrix Multiplication
8. Matrix Multiplication Examples
9. Transposing Matrices
10. Application Examples
11. Reference Reading
12. Preview of Next Time

Links to other materials for Session 2.