14.1 What Is Simulation?
A simulation is a powerful tool used to study complex systems. Simulation is the development of a model of a complex system and the experimental manipulation of that model to observe the results. Models may be purely physical, such as a wind tunnel; a combination of physical objects under software control, such as a spaceship or flight simulator; or logical, as represented in a computer program.
Computer simulations have been used to help in decision making since the mid-1950s. Building computer models of complex systems has allowed decision makers to develop an understanding of the performance of the systems over time. How many tellers should a bank have? Would the materials flow faster through the manufacturing ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access