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Not so long ago, executives faced with complex problems made decisions based on experience, intuition, and no small measure of luck. But now there's a better way. In recent decades, mathematics and computer science have perfected formerly top-secret techniques for predicting the best possible outcomes when faced with conflicting options. This field goes by different names--analytics, operations research, linear and nonlinear programming, management science--but its purpose is simple: to apply quantitative methods to help business managers, public servants, investors, scientific researchers, and problem solvers of all kinds make better decisions.