Task allocation by priority

[dlowrey]

Hi all
I am stuck. Hoping your collective brains can help me solve the problem. This is not as simple as ordering a To Do list.



The problem: I have x days to practice for examinations in y different topics (actually 14 subjects). Some topics are more likely than others to be tested, so additional practice examinations need to be scheduled for these. I have already ranked the exams in order of the subject's appearance on prior exams.

Example:
Subject A has a liklihood of 100% of being tested
Subject B has a liklihood of 65% of being tested
....
Subject N has a liklihood of 23% of being tested
Subject Z has a liklihood of 3% of being tested

Rule1: We must complete at least one practice exam for every subject
Rule2: We must complete as many practice exams as possible for each subject
Rule3: There must be spaced repition. For example, you wouldn' want to do 4 Subject A practice exams on the same day. They need to be spaced with a couple of days in between.
Rule4: Only z number of exams can be scheduled for the same calendar date.
Rule5: Weekends and holidays are not a factor, practice exams can be done 7 days/week.

This may requiring iteritive looping, but if not capable of a final solution, terminate the loop after a number passes.

Here are the knowns:
An excel column list of all of the exam subjects.
An excel column list of the ranking of subject by probablity of testing.

3 Variables, input by user: Number of Days available for study, number of exam subjects, number of practice exams that can be completed in a given day. (the expected range is 1-3).

Output desired: A column or columns listing the exam subject and a calendar date to complete each.

Thank in advance for you input!

Don Lowrey