Decision Support Systems (SCI2201) Tutorial 16 February 2023
Due date 16/02/2024 Total marks (50)
Instruction:
Working in pairs, answer the following questions, ensure to submit your work by the end of the
lecture. Include both your names on the answer sheet.
Question 1
i. Use a table to show 3 differences between a problem and its symptoms. Your answer
should be in point form. [6]
ii. Using the same table in (i), give two differences between effectiveness and efficiency. Skip
one line in your table and put the header for this question in the next line. [4]
Question 2
i. Briefly explain why a manager might use goal seeking in decision making. [5]
ii. Suggest a readily available application that a manger can use for goal seeking. [2]
iii. Give any 3 main managerial roles. [3]
Qusetion 3
An optimistic businessman is considering purchasing equipment to boost his/her business. The
hypothetic equipment to purchace are A, B, C. There are two conditions that could prevail in this
business, i.e. Favourable and Unfavourable. Projected profits under these conditions are shown in
the table below:
Equipment Favourable conditions(USD) Unfavourable conditions(USD)
Equipment A 300 000 -200 000
Equipment B 250 000 -100 000
Equipment C 100 000 -50 000
i. Show how the optimistic businessman would go about making this decision, and show the option
that is best. [5]
ii. What would be the option taken by a pessimistic businessman under these conditions? [5]
Question 4
Simiso is planning to travel to town Kutshanga from her current position. Show the shortest
possible route she should use under the following search strategies:
i. Breadth first search [5]
ii. Iterative deepening [5]
Kutshanga
A
Current position D
B
F
E
C
Question 5
i. Suppose John wants to make an investment, given that for a particular investment there is a
10% chance of receiving a $500 return, a 30% chance of receiving a $200 return, and a %60
chance of receiving a -$80 return. Compute best decision using Expected value for this
investment. [5]
ii. Explain the use of Data tables in MS Excel as some form of decision models. [5]