An Interpolation Approach to Developing Mathematical Functions for Business Simulations

Abstract

Simulation designers are often required to define the precise nature of functional relationships with only vague guidelines from theory or practice. This paper presents a methodology for the easy implementation of self-designed functional relationships. The approach presented does not require any special parameters or exponents; yet it is capable of generating results almost identical to sophisticated curvilinear functions. The method described in this paper relies on interpolation as the means of obtaining dependent variable values from a graphical representation of a functional relationship.