...and well documented (introducing appropriate comments) 4. Submit your assignment file on Moodle well on time to avoid system congestions or break-downs during the last minute Problem 1: Tourist spots in London As a tourist in London you want to visit 7 spots and minimize the time spent on visiting these 7 spots. The details of the 7 spots including their ID, time to see the attraction, and opening time are given to you (Range A3:D9 in given spreadsheet). Note that you want to visit each spot only once. Range B13:H19 in the given spreadsheet contains the travel time (in minutes) between any two spots, 9999 stands for infinity. For example: travel from 2 to 5 (Trafalgar Square to Tower Bridge) takes 22 minutes. You can assume that all other times (wait times for transport, queues for attractions etc, are already accounted for in the sightseeing time and travel time). The subroutine calc_schedule uses this information to calculate the route to be taken from the starting spot (given in G3) at the starting time given in G4. The subroutine prints out the route below the travel table (skipping one row to maintain readability) and in the next row, the respective times that you will reach each spot. In-case, the heuristic cannot find a solution, an error message is printed on the spreadsheet. The following ranges on the spreadsheet have...
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...Intro Speech Evaluation As for my Speech I felt like I did jump right into the topic of what I was about to tell the audience. I could have made my transition a lot better. I felt as if I did have my organization of the speech laid out perfect, but when I actually talked it wasn’t. But everything was in order. For my ending I really just walked off the stage because I forgot everything that I wanted to say. I couldn’t finish all my thoughts. I kept moving around and stayed looking down. I really didn’t make enough eye contact with the audience like I was suppose to. I know for my next speech to get a spot on the floor and just stand in that same spot. Also I am going to pick spots in the audience that I can look at like empty seats, the wall, or even their shoulders so I can look like I am actually looking at them when I talk. My body language portrayed that I was nervous and didn’t know what I was talking about. I felt like everybody could hear my voice but I was still looking nervous. It wasn’t between 2-4 minutes because I had forgot my thoughts. I hated my speech altogether. I couldn’t finish my speech and I was disappointed with myself. I know my audience was looking like what is he talking about from how I kept moving around and looking down at the podium. If I could have did anything different I would have finished my speech all the way. When I prepare for my next speech I am going to come to you way before to get clarity if everything is good and in order...
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...Ashley M. Taylor English 102 Professor Catanese “Pining for Parking spots” Its 7:45 Monday morning and you’re on the road to campus and hoping that a parking spot is available. Not only do students face this dilemma, but teachers do as well. Some professors are tardy to classes due to traffic but what about the major traffic that comes with trying to find a parking spot on campus? The morning rush of various professionals during the day is time consuming and everyone seems to have some place to go and they are in a rush to get there. Students who live off-campus have to worry about the possibilities of having to miss a class as a result of no parking on campus. With this ongoing dilemma directly affecting the students and faculty, I propose that USC opens another parking garage on campus to better accommodate these people. If the University of South Carolina were to build at least two new parking garages on campus, I guarantee that the complaints about the lack of parking on campus would decrease, and attendance by students as well as professors would not be directly affected by the strain of parking spots on campus. As a result of construction of the Patterson dormitory, USC housing has the stressful task of trying to find proper housing for the incoming freshman of the fall semester. The dorms normally reserved for upperclassmen such as East, South and West Quad, as well as the horseshoe apartments are now being occupied by freshmen and upperclassmen must scramble...
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...and Dan Health’s “Finding the Bright Spot” In the chapter “Find the Bright Spots” taken from the book Switch: How to change thing when change is hard, the authors state that: when changing things, there’re bright spots in your field. You need to direct your followers- the Riders by following these bright spots and make the Elephants’ expect that change is possible and the Path is clear. In 1990, Jerry Sternin came to Vietnam to fight malnutrition with barely support from the government. Firstly, his team found that there were a lot of problems such as poor sanitization, poverty, out of clean water. However, in six months and almost no money, solving these problems became useless. After weighting, Jerry found that there were healthy and well-nourished kids despite their poor families. There were his bright spots. Besides that, he directed the mother’s Riders to shadow the bright spots’ mothers. Uniquely, these kids ate four times instead of twice a day, parents fed kids by hands, or mixing rice with small shrimp, crab and sweet potato green provided vitamin and protein for the kids. Because knowledge couldn’t guide the villagers, Jerry created cooking classes at the bright spots’ houses, provided detailed instructions to the mother’s Riders. Gradually, more mothers followed and this made the mothers’ Elephants believe in making their kids healthier. Six months later, 65 percent of the kids became healthier. Bright spots exist in every field that you deal with...
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...there are speculators who attempt to capitalize on their expectation of the yen’s movement over the two months between the order and delivery dates by either buying or selling yen futures now and buying or selling yen at the future spot rate. Given this information, what is the expectation on the order date of the yen spot rate by the delivery date? (Your answer should consist of one number.) 4. Assume that the firm shares the market consensus of the future yen spot rate. Given this expectation and given that the firm makes a decision (i.e., option, futures contract, remain unhedged) purely on a cost basis, what would be its optimal choice? 5. Will the choice you made as to the optimal hedging strategy in question 4 definitely turn out to be the lowest-cost alternative in terms of actual costs incurred? Why or why not? 6. Now assume that you have determined that the historical standard deviation of the yen is about $0.0005. Based on your assessment, you believe it is highly unlikely that the future spot rate will be more than two standard deviations above the expected spot rate by the delivery date. Also assume that the futures price remains at its current level of $0.006912. Based on this expectation of the future spot rate, what is the optimal hedge for the...
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...greenhouse conditions using SunSPOTs Suthikshn Kumar Dept of Information Science, PESIT Bangalore suthikshn.kumar@pes.edu Ishaan Raghunandan Dept of Information Science, PESIT Bangalore ishaan.raghunandan@gmail.com Abstract: In modern greenhouses, several measurement points are required to trace down the local climate parameters in different parts of the enclosure efficiently.A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) consisting of small-size wireless sensor nodes an attractive and cost-efficient option to build the required measurement system. The most important climatic conditions are the temperature and the light intensity within the greenhouse.This paper describes the implementation and configuration of the wireless sensor network using the Sun SPOT platform.It also uses a Time Series Algorithm to predict the temperature variation. Keywords: WSN,SunSPOT,TimeSeries,Java,Zigbee,Back Propagation 1.Introduction The most important factors for the quality and productivity of plant growth are temperature and light. Continuous monitoring of these environmental variables gives information to the agriculturalist to better understand, how each factor affects growth and how to manage maximal crop productiveness. The optimal greenhouse climate adjustment can enable us to improve productivity and to achieve remarkable energy savings - especially during the winter in northern countries. Increased number of measurement points should not dramatically increase the automation system cost. It should also...
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...Problem 3 Now I will explain why the NPVs of these two approaches are different. For Approach A, NPV is calculated using cash flows denoted in Peso and interest rate in Mexico and then transferred into Euro at the lowest exchange rate in 2008, which is 15.99 MXN/EUR. This is equivalent to using a constant exchange rate of 15.99 to transfer Peso into Euro every year. On the other hand, for approach B, cash flows are transferred into Euro every year and NPV is calculated using cash flows denoted in Euro and interest rate in France. Since Peso is depreciating across time, cash flows are transferred into Euro using a series of increasing exchange rates. Cash flows in Approach B are lower than those in Approach A. Therefore, NPV denoted in Euro for Approach B is higher than that for Approach A. Problem 4 If the inflation in Mexico is 3%, which is the same as that in France, the nominal interest rate in Mexico will be the same as that in France according to International Fisher Effect. So the discount rate will be the same. According to the Interest Rate Parity, the exchange rate between these two currencies will stay the same due to the same nominal interest rate. Thus, the cash flows denoted in Euro for these two approaches will be same. Since both cash flows and discount rate are the same for these two approaches, NPV will be the same. You can see the calculations in this spread sheet. Both approaches give you the same NPV if both countries have the same inflation rate. ...
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...If you believe the spot exchange rate will be $1.92/£ in three months, you should buy £1,000,000 forward for $1.90/£. The profit will be: £1,000,000 x ($1.92 -$1.90)=$20,000. b. What would be your speculative profit in dollar terms if the spot exchange rate actually turns out to be $1.86/£. Solution: If the spot exchange rate actually turns out to be $1.86/£ in three months, The loss from the long position will be: £1,000,000 x ($1.86 -$1.90)=-$40,000. (Q.13) a. Describe the currency transaction that Omni should undertake to eliminate currency risk over the 30-day period. Solution: Omni should sell 30-day forward CHF against 30-day forward ZAR delivery (sell 30-day forward CHF against USD and buy 30-day forward ZAR against USD). b. Calculate the following: •The CHF/ZAR cross currency rate Omni would use in valuing the Swiss equity portfolio. Solution: CHF/USD=1.5285/$1 (ASK SIDE) ZAR/USD=6.2538/$1 (BID SIDE) CHF/ZAR=1.5285/6.2538=0.244 • The current value of Omni’s Swiss equity portfolio in ZAR. Solution: 3,000,000 CHF/0.24 = 12,274,386 ZAR • The annualized forward premium or discount at which the ZAR is trading versus the CHF. Solution: Spot rate = 1.5343 CHF/6.2681 ZAR = 0.244779120 30 day forward ask rate 1.5285 CHF/6.2538 ZAR = 0.244411398 The premium/discount formula is: [(forward rate – spot rate) / spot rate] x (360 / day contract)...
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...Interest rate parity | A theory that the interest rate differential between two countries is equal to the differential between the forward exchange rate and the spot exchange rate. Interest rate parity plays an essential role in foreign exchange markets, connecting interest rates, spot exchange rates and foreign exchange rates. Interest rate parity, or sometimes known as International Fisher effect, is an economic concept, expressed as a basic algebraic identity that relates interest rates and exchange rates. The identity is theoretical, and usually follows from assumptions imposed in economic models. There is evidence to support as well as to refute the concept. Interest rate parity is a non-arbitrage condition which says that the returns from borrowing in one currency, exchanging that currency for another currency and investing in interest-bearing instruments of the second currency, while simultaneously purchasing futures contracts to convert the currency back at the end of the holding period, should be equal to the returns from purchasing and holding similar interest-bearing instruments of the first currency. If the returns are different, an arbitrage transaction could, in theory, produce a risk-free return. Looked at differently, interest rate parity says that the spot price and the forward or futures price of a currency incorporate any interest rate differentials between the two currencies. Two versions of the identity are commonly presented in academic literature:...
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...Prerp Final Exam 410, Prisi Part I (70%) 1) Consider two firms, Thither and Yon. Both companies will either make $30 million or lose $10 million every year with equal probability. The companies' profits are perfectly negatively correlated. What are the expected after-tax profits of Thither in any year, assuming a corporate tax rate of 35% and no tax loss carry back or carry forward? A) $19.5 million B) $6.5 million C) $4.75 million D) -$6.5 million 2) Consider two firms, Thither and Yon. Both companies will either make $30 million or lose $10 million every year with equal probability. The companies' profits are perfectly negatively correlated. What are the expected after-tax profits of the combined company (Thither and Yon) in any year, assuming a corporate tax rate of 35% and no tax loss carry back or carry forward? A) $19.5 million B) $6.5 million C) $4.75 million D) -$6.5 million 3) Consider two firms, Bob Company and Cat Enterprises, both with earnings of $10 per share and 5 million shares outstanding. Cat is a mature company with few growth opportunities and a stock price of $25 per share. Bob is a new firm with much higher growth opportunities and a stock price of $40 per share. Assume Bob acquires Cat using its own stock and the takeover adds no value. In a perfect capital market, how many shares must Bob offer Cat's shareholders in exchange for their shares? A) 1 share of new company after takeover for each share of Cat Enterprises. B) 0.625 shares of...
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...UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE - FHEL1012 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC STUDY ACADEMIC YEAR: 2015/2015 SEMESTER: JAN 2015 TUTORIAL 2 1.0 Identifying the General Purpose of a Paragraph 1. In naval aviation, the AWACS (Airborne Early Warning Command and Control System) plane, or Hawkeye, serves as an air traffic controller, monitoring the airspace around a carrier fleet. It is responsible for surveillance of enemy aircraft and ships as well as directing helicopters to survivors and guarding against air collisions. In addition to servicing the Navy, Hawkeye planes have been used in rescue operations of civilians during hurricane evacuations. The purpose of this passage is to: A. Inform B. Persuade C. Describe 2. The pilots of the Hawkeye aircraft are the unsung heroes of naval operations. The first in and the last out, these men receive none of the glory bestowed on the Top Guns of F-18 fame. Thanks to Hollywood, fighter pilots have been glorified, but the pilots of the AWACS planes work quietly and diligently, and they deserve praise for their contributions. The purpose of this passage is to: A. Inform B. Persuade C. Describe 3. Tobacco companies have been in litigation, facing charges that their marketing practices in the past have targeted teenagers. Also, evidence indicates that companies...
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...University of Manchester | [Type the document title] | [Type the document subtitle] | | Theodora Siettou | [Pick the date] | [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] | Executive Summary Question A Q1 Foreign exchange risk involves financial risk posed by an exposure to unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates. General Motor is one of the largest automakers in the world offering a comprehensive range of vehicles in more than 120 countries around the world. General Motors had a risk management committee, which reviewed its risk management strategies. General Motors’ exposure to the Canadian Dollar was of two types. They are as follows – • Transaction exposure (C$ 1682) – These are the gains and loses that arise when transactions are settled in some currency other than the company’s reporting currency, i.e. Canadian Dollar instead of US Dollar in case of GM. • Translation exposure (C$ 2143) - These are the gains and losses that arise when the assets and liabilities of a MNC’s foreign subsidiary are translated back into the MNC’s reporting currency for the purposes of preparing consolidated financial statements. Exhibit 9 shows the Transaction exposures of CAD faced by General Motors Canada in 2001. The cash inflows amount to C$ 11,613 millions and the outflows...
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...CARREFOUR S.A. Synopsis and Objectives In August 2002, the French retail giant Carrefour S.A. is considering alternative currencies for raising (euros) EUR750 million in the eurobond market. Carrefour’s investment bankers provide various borrowing rates across four different currencies. Despite the high nominal coupon rate and the lack of any material business activity in the United Kingdom, the British-pound issue appears to provide the lowest cost of funds if the exchange rate risk is hedged. The case is designed to serve as an introduction to topics in international finance. Topics of discussion include foreign-currency borrowing, interest-rate parity, currency risk exposure, derivative contracts (in particular forward and swap contracts), and currency risk management. Students are tasked with exploring (1) motives for borrowing in foreign currencies, (2) the exposure created by such financing policy, and (3) strategies for managing currency risk. Suggested Questions for Advance Assignment to Students 1. Why should Carrefour consider borrowing in a currency other than euros? 2. Assuming the bonds are issued at par, what is the cost in euros of each of the bond alternatives? 3. Which debt issue would you recommend and why? Hypothetical Teaching Plan 1. What is going on at Carrefour? 2. Is the Swiss-franc issue, at 3⅝%, a “no-brainer”? 3. What can a firm do to manage the exchange-rate risk...
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...future contract is for delivery of 50 times the index. Based on the above information calculate Fair Future BSE Index Contracted Price of Future Contract after 4 Months. (Note: In the absence of any information Fair Future Price may be considered as Actual Future Contracted Price.) a) Rs. 1,52,500 b) Rs. 1,76,750 c) Rs. 2,25,500 d) Rs. 1,25,500 Answer: Future Price of the 4 month BSE Index = 3500 + 3500 * (0.09 - 0.06) * (4/12) = 3500 + 35 = 3,535 Therefore, Price/Value of the one future contract = Rs. 50 x 3,535 = Rs. 2, 52,500 Question 2: A dealer sold 1 lakh Hong Kong Dollar @ Rs.6.37 and covered himself in London Market on the same day when the existing rate were: US$ 1 = HK$ 7.0780 Local Bank Rate for US$ were: Spot rate US $1 = Rs.47.40 Ascertain profit or loss in the deal. a) Profit: Rs. 36230 b) Loss: Rs. 36230 c) Profit: Rs. 32680 d) Loss: Rs. 32680 Answer: Rupee Dollar selling rate = Rs.47.40 Dollar Hong Kong Dollar = HK$ 7.0780 Rupee - Hong Kong cross rate 47.40/7.0780 = Rs.6.6968 Amount to be received from the customer = Rs.6, 37,000 Amount paid in the cover made in London Market = Rs.6, 69,680 Net loss in the deal = Rs.32680 Question 3: X is a power company which was set up in 1975. X has a current generating capacity of 43,128 MW. The company X has 17.73% of the total national capacity, it contributes 25.91% of total power generation due to its focus on high efficiency. X became a Maharatna company in May, 2010. The...
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...currencies? Less traded currencies can vary in a much larger way because the longer it takes to make a currency transaction, the larger the swing that can occur between when the currency was traded and when the transaction actually processes. If a currency is heavily traded, the spread is much smaller because there are so many transactions occurring much more often than less traded currencies. 2)Wy do banks quote even-dated forward rates-for example, one-month rates and three-month rates-rather than uneven-dated rates? How would you prorate the rates of uneven-dated maturities? The value date of an even- dated contract such as, for example, a 1-month forward, is the same day in the next month as the value date for a currently agreed spot transaction. An uneven-date wouldn’t give you the same date next month. As long as the date isn’t at month end, I would prorate the rates by one day. If it is at the end of the month, I would backdate it to the day before the last day of the month. 5)Could a bank that trades forwards currency ever hope to balance the buys and sells of forward currencies for each and every future date? How do swap contracts help? It would be near impossible to balance the buys and sells, but swap contracts can help if there is a way to swap out the contracts at the end. 6)Why do banks operate a forward exchange market in only a limited number of currencies? Does it have to do with the ability to balance buy orders with sell orders, and is it...
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