Comparison OPS-MATH Excel-Based vs. Text-Based

       OPS-MATH Excel-Based                                                                                                                                                         Text-Based



Many APICS CPIM CSCP students don't practice text-based math because it's boring, takes too much time, and they already have the answer to the only exercise provided. But they do use OPS-MATH Excel-based exercises because it's fun, flexible, and they can learn by clicking. Getting the "Correct" feedback is a reward for your work!

Question OPS-MATH Excel-Based Text-Based
Can I self-study math mechanics from the material provided?  Easy. The detailed notes, formulas, and instructions are designed for self study. Receive "Correct" or "TryAgain" feedback on your calculations. "Hint" and "AnswerAll" buttons provided. Difficult. Limited instructions. Designed to be instructor lead.
Can I practice at home with different data than provided? Yes. All exercises, except for a few, can be changed easily to provide many billions of different exercises. No, you are stuck with the one exercise and answer provided. If you create your own then you don't know the correct answer.
Can I get answers with one click? Yes. Click "AnswerAll" No
Can I get hints with one click? Yes, but simple exercises only have "AnswerAll" No
I am math averse. What can I learn if I don't do the math mechanics? You can learn the terminology in context of its use. Change data and click "AnswerAll" to learn the impact of the change. If you want a specific result, you can change variables to learn what gets you there. Data relationships. You may see a technique that would really help you at work that motivates you to learn the math. Easy to see the forest amongst the trees - and that is learning. (1) Not much. You can't see the forest for the trees. (1)
I want to learn the math mechanics but I need a review of math and algebra. What help is there? The Math and Algebra Tutorial has explanations and links to online videos. The Math and Algebra Test indicates how well you know what is needed for this course of study. None
I'm an instructor. How can I improve the classroom experience for math demonstrations? Often, OPS-MATH has more material than the text-based exercise which gives the instructor more options. Use different datasets and "AnswerAll" to show the impact of what-if changes for decision making. Detailed instructions and online video shows how to save and retrieve datasets for instantaneous use. Try to be more enthusiastic. Smile. Use props and colored markers.
There are times in the course where only words are used to describe math concepts. I think it would be easier to remember if I could see a math example. Sometimes I think these concepts would help me at work but there is no detail. What does OPS-MATH have to help me? There are many examples of OPS-MATH going above and beyond a text-based exercise. Sometimes this is built in to an exercise where the text-based material just sticks to the basics and OPS-MATH has extra bells and whistles. Examples are the reschedule logic in MRP, rolling the forecast in MPS, and the kanban exercise. Sometimes entire exercises are included to fill this gap. Examples include linear regression, time series decomposition, the normal distribution, and work sequencing rules. You only get words

(1) "You can't see the forest for the trees." This is a saying we use in the U.S. to say that we can get so blinded by all of the details (trees) that we cannot see what is happening in the overall environment (forest). Much that contributes to the overall environment can get lost during a time consuming demonstration of text-based math mechanics.