TITLE:
Java Computer Animation for Effective Learning of the Cholesky Algorithm with Transportation Engineering Applications
AUTHORS:
Ivan Makohon, Duc T. Nguyen, Mecit Cetin
KEYWORDS:
Cholesky Algorithm, Shortest Path, Linear Programming, Traffic Flows, Decomposition/Factorization, Java Visualization/Animation, Statistical Data
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Software Engineering and Applications,
Vol.9 No.10,
October
11,
2016
ABSTRACT: In this paper, the well-known Cholesky
Algorithm (for solving simultaneous linear equations, or SLE) is re-visited,
with the ultimate goal of developing a simple, user-friendly, attractive, and
useful Java Visualization and Animation Graphical User Inter-face (GUI)
software as an additional teaching tool for students to learn the Cholesky
factorization in a step-by-step fashion with computer voice and animation. A
demo video of the Cholesky Decomposition (or factorization) animation and
result can be viewed online from the website:
http://www.lions.odu.edu/~imako001/cholesky/demo/index.html. The software tool
developed from this work can be used for both students and their instructors
not only to master this technical subject, but also to provide a dynamic/valuable
tool for obtaining the solutions for homework assignments, class examinations,
self-assessment studies, and other coursework related activities. Various
transportation engineering applications of SLE are cited. Engineering educators
who have adopted “flipped classroom instruction” can also utilize this Java
Visualization and Animation software for students to “self-learning” these
algorithms at their own time (and at their preferable locations), and use
valuable class-meeting time for more challenging (real-life) problems’
discussions. Statistical data for comparisons of students’ performance with and
without using the developed Java computer animation are also included.