Solving Algorithms for Discrete Optimization
The Chinese University of Hong Kong · View on Coursera ↗
Taught by Prof. Jimmy Ho Man Lee, Prof. Peter J Stuckey
Computer ScienceMath and Logic
About the course
Discrete Optimization aims to make good decisions when we have many possibilities to choose from. Its applications are ubiquitous throughout our society. Its applications range from solving Sudoku puzzles to arranging seating in a wedding banquet. The same technology can schedule planes and their crews, coordinate the production of steel, and organize the transportation of iron ore from the mines to the ports. Good decisions on the use of scarce or expensive resources such as staffing and mater
The consensus
1 of the 8 reviews we read rated it 3★ or lower, but none of them wrote a comment. This is the most-upvoted review (5 votes).
“The course is a good sequel in the “… Discrete Optimization” series. With just about any programming language, the true understanding of how the program is run by the computer helps tuning the program, minimizing the execution time. The same is especially true in optimization, as instead of the “classical” imperative programs we have “models” that are digested by some “solver”, which actually does all the number crunching. Different solvers (and the same solver with different configuration) can behave drastically different while running the same model. So this course finally removes the veil and uncovers the things inside these solvers, that were considered as black boxes in the previous two courses. The course is likely to motivate you to experiment with different solvers for the same models, and, maybe, even implementing your own solver.”
Coursera's 4.8 comes from 44 ratings. Of those, 4.5% are 1–2★.
Starisk reads the reviews learners voted most helpful, and weights each by the square root of its votes: a review with 80 upvotes counts about five times one with 2. Unvoted reviews are not skipped out of laziness — by this model they carry no evidence that other students endorsed them.
That measures what the most-endorsed reviews say, not “true quality.” The rating distribution above is the whole population, so you can see the sample next to it.
Reviews read on 22 Oct 2026.Read them on Coursera ↗