MA428 Half Unit
Combinatorial Optimisation
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Shengding Sun
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Mathematics and Computation and MSc in Operations Research & Analytics. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
This course is only open to MSc in Mathematics and Computation and MSc in Operations Research & Analytics students. Places will be allocated on a first-come-first served basis (space permitting). Students should check that they meet the pre-requisites before applying.
Deadline for applying: Friday 3rd October, 2025, 5pm.
For queries contact: Maths.info@lse.ac.uk
Requisites
Additional requisites:
Some familiarity with graph theory and some knowledge of linear programming is desirable. For students that have no linear programming background, it is recommended that they read the material of the first four lectures of course MA423, which can be found on the Moodle page of MA423.
Course content
The course is intended as an introduction to discrete and combinatorial techniques for solving optimisation problems, mainly involving graphs and networks. Topics covered include: minimum spanning trees; shortest path algorithms; maximum flow algorithms; minimum cost flow problems; matching and assignment problems; and other topics that may vary from year to year.
Teaching
20 hours of lectures and 20 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Problem sets weekly
Students will be expected to produce 3 problem sets in the WT.
Students will be given weekly exercises. Oral feedback will be provided in the seminars, where the weekly homework will be discussed. Three of these weekly exercises will be handed in as formative coursework and the students will be given written feedback on their submissions.
Indicative reading
Lecture notes will be supplied for all topics.
Most of the lectures will be based on topics from:
R K Ahuja, T L Maganti and J B Orlin, Network Flows (2013).
William J. Cook, William H. Cunningham, William R. Pulleyblank, Alexander Schrijver, Combinatorial Optimization (1997).
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: Mathematics
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 15
Average class size 2024/25: 15
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Problem solving
- Application of numeracy skills
- Specialist skills