As of 3/19
COMPETENCIES 4048.5.1 : Non-Linear Data
The graduate creates software applications that incorporate non-linear data structures for efficient and maintainable software.
4048.5.2 : Hashing Algorithms and Structures
The graduate writes code using hashing techniques within an application to perform searching operations.
4048.5.3 : Dictionaries and Sets
The graduate incorporates dictionaries and sets in order to organize data into key-value pairs.
4048.5.4 : Self-Adjusting Data Structures
The graduate evaluates the space and time complexity of self-adjusting data structures using big-O notation to improve the performance of applications.
4048.5.5 : Self-Adjusting Heuristics
The graduate writes code using self-adjusting heuristics to improve the performance of applications.
4048.5.6 : NP-Completeness and Turing Machines
The graduate evaluates computational complexity theories in order to apply models to specific scenarios.
INTRODUCTION For this assessment, you will apply the algorithms and data structures you studied in this course to solve a real programming problem. You will also implement an algorithm to route delivery trucks that will allow you to meet all delivery constraints while traveling under 140 miles. You will then describe and justify the decisions you made while creating this program.
The skills you showcase in your completed project may be useful in responding to technical interview questions for future employment. This project may also be added to your portfolio to show to future employers.
SCENARIO The Western Governors University Parcel Service (WGUPS) needs to determine an efficient route and delivery distribution for their Daily Local Deliveries (DLD) because packages are not currently being consistently delivered by their promised deadline. The Salt Lake City DLD route has three trucks, two drivers, and an average of 40 packages to deliver each day. Each package has specific criteria and delivery requirements.
Your task is to determine an algorithm, write code, and present a solution where all 40 packages (listed in the attached “WGUPS Package File”) will be delivered on time while meeting each package’s requirements and keeping the combined total distance traveled under 140 miles for both trucks. The specific delivery locations are shown on the attached “Salt Lake City Downtown Map,” and distances to each location are given in the attached “WGUPS Distance Table.” The intent is to use the program for this specific location and also for many other cities in each state where WGU has a presence. As such, you will need to include detailed comments to make your code easy to follow and to justify the decisions you made while writing your scripts.
Keep in mind that the supervisor should be able to see, at assigned points, the progress of each truck and its packages by any of the variables listed in the “WGUPS Package File,” including what has been delivered and at what time the delivery occurred.
ASSUMPTIONS • Each truck can carry a maximum of 16 packages, and the ID number of each package is unique.
• The trucks travel at an average speed of 18 miles per hour and have an infinite amount of gas with no need to stop.
• There are no collisions.
• Three trucks and two drivers are available for deliveries. Each driver stays with the same truck as long as that truck is in service.
• Drivers leave the hub no earlier than 8:00 a.m., with the truck loaded, and can return to the hub for packages if needed.
• The delivery and loading times are instantaneous, i.e., no time passes while at a delivery or when moving packages to a truck at the hub (that time is factored into the calculation of the average speed of the trucks).
• There is up to one special note associated with a package.
• The delivery address for package #9, Third District Juvenile Court, is wrong and will be corrected at 10:20 a.m. WGUPS is aware that the address is incorrect and will be updated at 10:20 a.m. However, WGUPS does not know the correct address (410 S State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84111) until 10:20 a.m.
• The distances provided in the WGUPS Distance Table are equal regardless of the direction traveled.
• The day ends when all 40 packages have been delivered.
REQUIREMENTS Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. An originality report is provided when you submit your task that can be used as a guide.
You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.
Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc., unless specified in the task requirements. All other submissions must be file types that are uploaded and submitted as attachments (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .ppt).
A. Identify a named self-adjusting algorithm (e.g., “Nearest Neighbor algorithm,” “Greedy algorithm”) that you used to create your program to deliver the packages.
B. Write an overview of your program, in which you do the following:
- Explain the algorithm’s logic using pseudocode.
Note: You may refer to the attached “Sample Core Algorithm Overview” to complete part B1.
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Describe the programming environment you used to create the Python application.
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Evaluate the space-time complexity of each major segment of the program, and the entire program, using big-O notation.
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Explain the capability of your solution to scale and adapt to a growing number of packages.
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Discuss why the software is efficient and easy to maintain.
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Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the self-adjusting data structures (e.g., the hash table).
C. Write an original program to deliver all the packages, meeting all requirements, using the attached supporting documents “Salt Lake City Downtown Map,” “WGUPS Distance Table,” and the “WGUPS Package File.”
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Create an identifying comment within the first line of a file named “main.py” that includes your first name, last name, and student ID.
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Include comments in your code to explain the process and the flow of the program.
D. Identify a self-adjusting data structure, such as a hash table, that can be used with the algorithm identified in part A to store the package data.
- Explain how your data structure accounts for the relationship between the data points you are storing.
Note: Use only appropriate built-in data structures, except dictionaries. You must design, write, implement, and debug all code that you turn in for this assessment. Code downloaded from the Internet or acquired from another student or any other source may not be submitted and will result in automatic failure of this assessment.
E. Develop a hash table, without using any additional libraries or classes, that has an insertion function that takes the following components as input and inserts the components into the hash table:
• package ID number
• delivery address
• delivery deadline
• delivery city
• delivery zip code
• package weight
• delivery status (e.g., delivered, en route)
F. Develop a look-up function that takes the following components as input and returns the corresponding data elements:
• package ID number
• delivery address
• delivery deadline
• delivery city
• delivery zip code
• package weight
• delivery status (i.e., “at the hub,” “en route,” or “delivered”), including the delivery time
G. Provide an interface for the user to view the status and info (as listed in part F) of any package at any time, and the total mileage traveled by all trucks. (The delivery status should report the package as at the hub, en route, or delivered. Delivery status must include the time.)
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Provide screenshots to show the status of all packages at a time between 8:35 a.m. and 9:25 a.m.
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Provide screenshots to show the status of all packages at a time between 9:35 a.m. and 10:25 a.m.
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Provide screenshots to show the status of all packages at a time between 12:03 p.m. and 1:12 p.m.
H. Provide a screenshot or screenshots showing successful completion of the code, free from runtime errors or warnings, that includes the total mileage traveled by all trucks.
I. Justify the core algorithm you identified in part A and used in the solution by doing the following:
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Describe at least two strengths of the algorithm used in the solution.
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Verify that the algorithm used in the solution meets all requirements in the scenario.
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Identify two other named algorithms, different from the algorithm implemented in the solution, that would meet the requirements in the scenario.
a. Describe how each algorithm identified in part I3 is different from the algorithm used in the solution.
J. Describe what you would do differently, other than the two algorithms identified in I3, if you did this project again.
K. Justify the data structure you identified in part D by doing the following:
- Verify that the data structure used in the solution meets all requirements in the scenario.
a. Explain how the time needed to complete the look-up function is affected by changes in the number of packages to be delivered.
b. Explain how the data structure space usage is affected by changes in the number of packages to be delivered.
c. Describe how changes to the number of trucks or the number of cities would affect the look-up time and the space usage of the data structure.
- Identify two other data structures that could meet the same requirements in the scenario.
a. Describe how each data structure identified in part K2 is different from the data structure used in the solution.
L. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
M. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.