COCoA uses a mathematical programming model of the time critical tight coordination team planning problem. Mathematical programs (in this case, program means a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary) require optimization, either maximizing or minimizing some quantity. Mathematical programming models contain one or more decision variables for which we seek values so as to optimize the objective function. These decision variables may be subject to certain constraints or bounds. Within mathematical programming, there are a number of special cases of problems including linear programs or LPs which can be written in the form:
Maximize cTx objective function
Subject to Ax <= b constraints
l <= x <= u bounds
A Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) is a linear program in which some of the variables (x) are integer.
[1] H.J. Greenberg. Mathematical Programming Glossary. World Wide Web, http://www.cudenver.edu/~hgreenbe/glossary/, 1996–2005.
[2] H. P. Williams. Model Building in Mathematical Programming. Wiley, fourth edition edition, 2003.