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Vending Machine

Graph theory can be used to model various aspects of a vending machine's operation. Nodes represent components like buttons, states in a transaction, or products, while edges denote connections and relationships between nodes. This allows modeling of interactions between buttons and products, the flow of a transaction, dependencies between components, and optimization of layout and arrangements. Graph theory also helps identify redundant paths for fault tolerance, alternative products for inventory management, and transitions between screens for user navigation. Modeling the vending machine as a graph provides insights to improve its efficiency, reliability, and user experience.

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Celia Christy
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74 views2 pages

Vending Machine

Graph theory can be used to model various aspects of a vending machine's operation. Nodes represent components like buttons, states in a transaction, or products, while edges denote connections and relationships between nodes. This allows modeling of interactions between buttons and products, the flow of a transaction, dependencies between components, and optimization of layout and arrangements. Graph theory also helps identify redundant paths for fault tolerance, alternative products for inventory management, and transitions between screens for user navigation. Modeling the vending machine as a graph provides insights to improve its efficiency, reliability, and user experience.

Uploaded by

Celia Christy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
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Vending Machine

So from the video before, we know that discrete math plays a role in the context of a
vending machine, discrete math concepts can be applied in several ways such as
combinatorics, graph theory, set theory, boolean alegbra, and number theory.
But one of the most use in vending machine is graph theory.
Graph theory is a mathematical discipline that studies the relationships between nodes
and edges in a graph. A graph consists of nodes (vertices) and edges that connect pairs
of nodes. In the context of a vending machine, graph theory can be applied in various
ways to model and analyze different aspects of its operation:

1. Modeling Interactions:

Nodes: Each button on the vending machine can be represented as a node in


the graph.

Edges: Connections between nodes represent possible interactions or


transactions. For example, an edge connects the "cola" button to the "cola"
product.

2. Transaction Flow:

Nodes: Represent different states or steps in a transaction (e.g., selecting a


product, inserting money, dispensing change).

Edges: Denote the flow of a transaction from one state to another. For instance,
an edge might connect the "select product" state to the "insert money" state.

3. Dependency Modeling:

Nodes: Components of the vending machine (e.g., display, payment system,


product dispensing mechanism).

Edges: Represent dependencies or connections between components. For


example, the payment system may depend on the user interface to display the
amount owed.

4. Optimization:

Vending Machine 1
Weighted Edges: If edges are assigned weights, they can represent factors
such as distance, time, or cost. This can be applied to optimize the layout of the
vending machine or the arrangement of products.

5. Fault Tolerance:

Redundant Paths: Graph theory can be used to identify and implement


redundant paths in the vending machine's operation. If one path fails (e.g., a
button is malfunctioning), an alternative path can still complete the transaction.

6. Inventory Management:

Nodes: Represent different products in the vending machine.

Edges: Connect related products or indicate substitution possibilities. If one


product is out of stock, the graph can help identify alternative products.

7. User Navigation:

Nodes: Represent different screens or menus on the vending machine


interface.

Edges: Model the transitions between different screens as users make


selections, guiding the user through the purchasing process.

By applying graph theory to the design and analysis of a vending machine, you can gain
insights into its structure, relationships, and potential improvements in terms of
efficiency, fault tolerance, and user experience. This modeling approach helps in making
the vending machine more robust and user-friendly.

Vending Machine 2

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