I'll be teaching a seminar for first-year undergraduates next year. The idea of my university's first-year seminar program is to expose students to exciting ideas and important texts in a somewhat interdisciplinary way. My course will focus on three epochs in the history of cosmology in which our ideas about the size of the Universe underwent radical expansions: the Copernican revolution, the early 20th century, and the present / recent past.

I have a lot of ideas for good undergraduate-friendly readings on the first two topics, but not so many for the last one. One idea I want to get at with them is that recent theories suggest that the observable Universe is a small and perhaps not even typical fraction of the entire Universe. I'd even love to get them arguing about the anthropic principle while I'm at it.

So my question is this: Can you suggest good books, articles, etc. for me to consider in the syllabus for this course? Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the course, I'm happy to consider fiction, philosophy, and history as well as straight-up science. (For instance, Borges's story about the Library of Babel has a nice metaphorical connection to some of these ideas.) Just remember that these are kids fresh out of high school -- they're not ready for Phys. Rev. D!

Which of the following inventory valuation methods should be used for unique items?

Merchandise Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold appear ________.

For First Come First Served (FCFS),

• -What is the arrival time, completion time, burst time, turnaround time, and the waiting time?
• -discuss these terms further as they pertain to the efficiency of the algorithm as well as properties such as starvation.
• -Pros and Cons of FCFS

Castellanos Foods is a Greek producer of world-renowned spanakopita. The company uses a first-in, first-out (FIFO) process costing system to cost its production of spanakopita in trays through three departments: filo pastry preparation, filling preparation and baking. Inspection takes place just before the last 20% of the filling is added to the final product in the filling preparation department. The company cost accountant has estimated that this is at 60% incurrence of conversion costs. The remaining direct ingredients are added to all trays that pass inspection. Normal spoilage is 1% of good units that pass inspection in the period.

The following details pertain to the month of December for the filling preparation department (in units):

Beginning work-in-process inventory (trays) 37,500

Trays transferred in from filo pastry preparation 150,000

Trays transferred out to baking 126,000

Ending work-in-process inventory (trays) 60,000

Costs    Transferred Direct Ingredients Conversion

Beginning inventory $174,375 $26,250    $28,275

Costs added $705,000 $89,775 $151,830

Percentage completion    Direct Ingredients Conversion

Beginning inventory 100% 65%

Ending Inventory 50%    40%

Note: Read the question carefully with respect to when the inspection for spoilage takes place.

4. What is the total value of the product transferred from the filling preparation department to baking in December? (Round final answer to the nearest dollar.)

a) $333,300

b) $760,513

c) $838,503

d) $984,805

The comparative balance sheets of First Solar Corporation are presented below.

First Solar Corporation

Comparative Condensed Balance Sheets

December 31

2018              2017

Assets

Current assets                            $ 90,000         $ 80,000

Property, plant, and equipment (net)         95,400            90,000

Intangibles                                  33,600            40,000

Total assets                            $219,000          $210,000

Liabilities and stockholders' equity                                   

Current liabilities                       $ 58,320         $ 48,000

Long-term liabilities                       142,500           150,000

Stockholders' equity                         18,180            12,000

Total liab & stockholders' equity       $219,000          $210,000

Instructions

(a) Prepare a horizontal analysis of the balance sheet data using 2017 as a base.

(b) Prepare a vertical analysis of the balance sheet data in columnar form for 2018.

Compare First Come First Served Scheduling, and Round Robin Scheduling. In your comparison, include discussions of their potential advantages and disadvantages, and which scheduling scheme performs better under what job load conditions. (You need to give proper reasons.)

Given C++ Stack Code, Modify the code to  work like a Queue.(First in First out) 

Stack
#ifndef STACK_H
#define STACK_H

#include "Node.h"


 
 template
 class Stack {
 private:
    
     Node* top;

 public:
     // Constructor
     Stack() {
      
         top = nullptr;
     }

    
    

    
     void push(Object ab) {
         
         if (top != nullptr) {
            
             Node* newNode = new Node(ab, *top);
   
             top = newNode;
         } else {
             
             Node* newNode = new Node(ab);
            
             top = newNode;
         }
     }

     
     Object pop() {
        
         if (top != nullptr) {
             Node *returnVal = top;
            
             top = top->getNext();
             Object returnObject = returnVal->getItem();
             
             delete returnVal; 
             return returnObject;
         } else {
            
             return Object();
         }
     }

    
     bool isThere(Object a) {
         Node* Copy = top;
        
         while (Copy != nullptr) {
             if (Copy->getItem() == a) {
                 
                 return true;
             }
             
             Copy = Copy->getNext();
         }
        
         return false;
     }


    
 };


#endif //STACK_H

Scheduling Algorithms

Part 1

First Come First Serve

Consider the following processes along with their burst time (in Calculate the average waiting time if the processes arrive in the following order

Calculate the average waiting time if the processes arrive in the following order

(i)P1, P2, P3

(ii)P2, P3, P1

(i) Case 1: Consider a case if processes P1, P2, P3 arrive at the same time say 0 ms in the system in the order P1, P2, P3. The arrival of processes is represented in the Gantt chart as shown below.

Gantt chart

                                          20                                             30                                            35

Therefore, average waiting time =

Turnaround Time =

Case 2: Processes arrive in order P1, P2, P3, let us assume at 0 ms, 2 ms and 4 ms, respectively.

Arrival Time: Time at which the process arrives in the ready queue.

Gantt chart: Draw the Gantt Chart

Waiting time for process P1 = 0 ms

Waiting time for process P2 = 20 ms – 2 ms = 18 ms

Waiting time for process P3 = 30 ms- 4 ms = 26 ms

Calculate the average waiting time

Calculate the Turnaround Time

MARS, Inc. (D)¹

In January 2009, Tom Sosa, the purchasing manager, received a telephone call from their Columbus, Indiana, diesel engine supplier informing him that effective June they were no longer producing the D-342 diesel engines at the Columbus plant. The D-342 engine sales were decreasing and would no longer be in their product line. Tom was in shock. He was now forced to deal with the sole supplier of the D-342 located in Portland, Oregon. The most recent price schedule submitted by the Oregon engine supplier is given below:

The prices had been basically the same as the Columbus supplier except that they are F.O.B. Portland. The traffic department informed Tom that the transportation cost per hundredweight is $10 for carload lots of 50,000 pounds. The less than carload rate is $15 per hundredweight. The replenishment cycle normally takes one week.

BACKGROUND

Tom Sosa, the supply manager for MARS, Inc. was contemplating several significant changes in the D-342 diesel engine market. Mr. Sosa was concerned because in its production of the 98-D loader, MARS used 10 diesel engines each working day of the month. (MARS operated on a 20-day-per-month schedule.) Each engine weighs 500 pounds. Engine orders are currently placed every Monday morning. For the past 10 years, the D-342 engines had been produced in only two locations in the United States, one in Columbus, Indiana, and the other in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Sosa felt fortunate that the Columbus producer was located approximately 30 miles from his facility. The Columbus supplier offered just-in-time delivery service at no charge to MARS.

MARS implemented lean manufacturing in 2002. The kanban-controlled JIT production system was implemented based on the premise of minimizing work-in-process inventories (waste) by reducing lot sizes in order to increase production efficiency and product quality.

ACTION TAKEN BY TOM

Mr. Sosa compiled cost and warehouse capacity data on the D-342 engine from the accounting department. See Table C17.1.

Mr. Sosa wonders what effects these new developments will have on his cost structure.

Assignment Questions

  1.  What were MARS’s total costs per year prior to the new price structure when the diesel engine price was $4,800? Was MARS using the EOQ method?

TABLE C17.1
Cost and Warehouse Capacity

*There is existing space in the warehouse for 200 units. Additional space must be leased for a year. If an order is more than 200 units, part of the order must be stored in leased space.

  2.  With volume discounts and warehouse constraints, what is the best ordering quantity?

  3.  With purchase discounts and different rates, how are costs and EOQs affected?

  4.  How will these changes impact the lean manufacturing philosophy at MARS?

  5.  Determine the cost impact of using the Portland supplier. How will the change in supplier for the D-342 diesel engine affect sales for the 98-D loader?

PART I

Demand and supply of office visits with cardiologists in Fairfax (market period: 1 week)

Assume no insurance

Price                           Demand                                  Supply

140                              1000                                        1375                                       

130                              1100                                        1350

120                              1200                                        1325

110                              1300                                        1300

100                              1400                                        1275

90                              1500                                        1250

80                              1600                                        1225

70                              1700                                        1200

60                              1800                                        1175

50                              1900                                        1150   

1. Graph demand (D1) and supply (S1) and determine the market price/quantity equilibrium. (use the graph at the end of the assignment, or if you use another be sure to use one with a grid so you can plot accurately. Be sure to label all demand and supply curves).

2. Over the next 5 years due to population growth and an aging population, demand for cardiology office visits increases by 25 percent. The supply of cardiologists increases by 10 percent as medical schools expand a little and a small number of additional doctors from foreign countries are certified to practice in the U.S. Graph the new demand curve (D2) and the new supply curve (S2). What is the new price/quantity equilibrium?

3. What was the percentage increase in the price of cardiology office visits over this five year period? Show your work

4. What was the percentage increase in the quantity of office visits? Show your work

5. Based on the demand schedule shown above (D1), calculate the Price Elasticity of Demand between a price per office visit of $80 and $90. Use the midpoint formula as shown in class or the arc elasticity formula as shown in the textbook. Show your work.   

6. Based on your answer in #4, would you expect prices to trend upwards or downwards between a price of $80 and $90 if individual doctors have some control over setting their own prices. Explain in brief.

7. Based on the demand schedule shown above, calculate the Price Elasticity of Demand between a price per office visit of $120 and $130. Show your work.

8. In one sentence describe what your answer means. Be specific. (imagine that you have to describe it to someone who does not know economics)

9. Why is there a different elasticity coefficient at a higher price compared to the lower price, even though the demand curve is a straight line? (Think about how we calculate elasticity).    

10. If the price elasticity of demand for milk is 3.2 between a price of $3.00 and $3.50, and if consumers are now buying 1000 gallons per day at a price of $3.25, how many gallons of milk will be bought per day if the price goes down to $3.00?