Problem 13-09 (Algorithmic)

Myrtle Air Express decided to offer direct service from Cleveland to Myrtle Beach. Management must decide between a full-price service using the companys new fleet of jet aircraft and a discount service using smaller capacity commuter planes. It is clear that the best choice depends on the market reaction to the service Myrtle Air offers. Management developed estimates of the contribution to profit for each type of service based upon two possible levels of demand for service to Myrtle Beach: strong and weak. The following table shows the estimated quarterly profits (in thousands of dollars):

	Demand for Service
Service	Strong	Weak
Full price	$1500	-$560
Discount	$1060	$500

1. What is the decision to be made, what is the chance event, and what is the consequence for this problem? The input in the box below will not be graded, but may be reviewed and considered by your instructor. How many decision alternatives are there? Number of decision alternatives = fill in the blank 2 How many outcomes are there for the chance event? Number of outcomes = fill in the blank 3
2. If nothing is known about the probabilities of the chance outcomes, what is the recommended decision using the optimistic, conservative and minimax regret approaches?

   Optimistic approach	Full price serviceDiscount service
   Conservative approach	Full price serviceDiscount service
   Minimax regret approach	Full price serviceDiscount service

3. Suppose that management of Myrtle Air Express believes that the probability of strong demand is 0.7 and the probability of weak demand is 0.3. Use the expected value approach to determine an optimal decision. Optimal Decision :

   Full price serviceDiscount service

4. Suppose that the probability of strong demand is 0.8 and the probability of weak demand is 0.2. What is the optimal decision using the expected value approach? Optimal Decision :

   Full price serviceDiscount service

5. Determine the range of demand probabilities for which each of the decision alternatives has the largest expected value. If required, round your answer to four decimal places.

   Full price serviceDiscount service

   is the best choice if probability of strong demand is less than or equal to fill in the blank 10. For values of greater than fill in the blank 11, the full price service is

   the bestthe worst

   choice.