Otsustusmuutuja

Otsustusmuutuja is an Estonian term that translates to "decision variable" in English. It is a fundamental concept in optimization and decision-making processes. Decision variables represent the quantities or choices that a decision-maker can control or manipulate to achieve a specific objective. These variables are the unknowns that an optimization problem seeks to determine.

In mathematical modeling, decision variables are typically represented by symbols, often denoted by letters like x, y, or z. Their values are subject to certain constraints, which are limitations or restrictions that must be satisfied. The goal of an optimization problem is to find the set of values for the decision variables that maximizes or minimizes an objective function, while also adhering to all the given constraints.

For example, in a production planning problem, decision variables might represent the number of units of each product to manufacture. The objective function could be to maximize profit, and the constraints might include limitations on raw materials, labor, and production capacity. By determining the optimal values of these decision variables, a company can make informed decisions to achieve its business goals. The concept of decision variables is crucial in fields such as operations research, economics, engineering, and computer science.