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 ...
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