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Characteristics of the Data

For our experiments, we used the Fall datasets from 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Spring dataset was not used as it would have required changes in the objective function to be accurate.


Fall Yr # students # beds
2000 1578 2050
1999 1871 2064
1998 1930 2085


The 1998 dataset had not benefitted from DAO's extensive data integrity checking, unlike the later years. Essentially all the data entry errors were eliminated in the 2000 dataset, and less than a dozen problems with contradictory music tastes and birthdate errors remained in the 1999 dataset. There were 457 empty preferences for room type and first choice halls, and 23 first hall choice and special living option mismatches in 1998. Smoking students were the source of most of the contradictory preferences each year as they requested non-smoking halls, non-smoking special living options and non-smoking roommates:


Fall # Requests
Year Smokers % NS Hall % NS SLO # NS Mates
2000 126 35.0 04.8 144
1999 173 33.0 33.0 80
1998 142 27.5 08.5 68



next up previous contents
Next: Methodology Up: Experimental Results Previous: Experimental Results   Contents
elena s ackley 2002-01-20
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