Accession Number:

AD0600412

Title:

CONVERSION OF LIMITED-ENTRY DECISION TABLES TO COMPUTER PROGRAMS,

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

RAND CORP SANTA MONICA CALIF

Personal Author(s):

• Pollack,Solomon L.

Report Date:

1964-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

20.0

Abstract:

Decision tables are useful for describing a set of complex decision rules based on given sets of conditions. Algorithms that can efficiently covert the tables into computer programs will extend the usefulness of decision tables to computer users. This Memorandum describes two such algorithms, based on work done by M. S. Montalbano and extended here to handle dashes and ELSE-decision rules. The first algorithm minimizes the computer storage space required for the resultant program, the second minimizes computer running time. During the conversion process, both pinpoint any contradictions or redundancies among the rules in a table. A necessary adjunct to minimizing computer storage or running time is the allowable reduction of the number of rules in a decision table. This Memorandum describes a technique to effect this reduction for paris, triplets and quadruplets of rules. The system analyst will find this method most helpful for pairs, and generally unprofitable for n-tuplets greater than three. The technique can be done manually or accomplished by the computer as a prelude to executing one of the two algorithms. Author

Descriptors:

• *COMPUTER PROGRAMMING
• TABLES(DATA)
• DECISION THEORY
• COMPILERS
• OPERATIONS RESEARCH
• SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
• GRAPHICS

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE