Example 2.3: Minimizing Swim Times

The ASSIGN Procedure

Example 2.3: Minimizing Swim Times

A swimming coach needs to assign male and female swimmers to each stroke of a medley relay team. The swimmers' best times for each stroke are stored in a SAS data set. The ASSIGN procedure is used to evaluate the times and to match strokes and swimmers to minimize the total relay swim time. The following statements produce Output 2.3.1:

   title 'Assigning Strokes Using the BY Statement';

   data relay;
      input name $ sex $ back breast fly free;
      datalines;
SUE     F 35.1 36.7 28.3 36.1
KAREN   F 34.6 32.6 26.9 26.2
JAN     F 31.3 33.9 27.1 31.2
ANDREA  F 28.6 34.1 29.1 30.3
CAROL   F 32.9 32.2 26.6 24.0
ELLEN   F 27.8 32.5 27.8 27.0
JIM     M 26.3 27.6 23.5 22.4
MIKE    M 29.0 24.0 27.9 25.4
SAM     M 27.2 33.8 25.2 24.1
CLAYTON M 27.0 29.2 23.0 21.9
   ;

   proc assign out=fast;
      cost back--free;
      id name;
      by sex;

   proc print;
      by sex;
      sum _fcost_;
   run;

Output 2.3.1: Assigning Strokes Using the BY Statement

Assigning Strokes Using the BY Statement

sex=F

Obs	name	back	breast	fly	free	_ASSIGN_	_FCOST_
1	SUE	35.1	36.7	28.3	36.1		0.0
2	KAREN	34.6	32.6	26.9	26.2	breast	32.6
3	JAN	31.3	33.9	27.1	31.2	fly	27.1
4	ANDREA	28.6	34.1	29.1	30.3		0.0
5	CAROL	32.9	32.2	26.6	24.0	free	24.0
6	ELLEN	27.8	32.5	27.8	27.0	back	27.8
sex							111.5

sex=M

Obs	name	back	breast	fly	free	_ASSIGN_	_FCOST_
7	JIM	26.3	27.6	23.5	22.4	free	22.4
8	MIKE	29.0	24.0	27.9	25.4	breast	24.0
9	SAM	27.2	33.8	25.2	24.1	back	27.2
10	CLAYTON	27.0	29.2	23.0	21.9	fly	23.0
sex							96.6
							208.1

On the basis of this solution, Jim will swim freestyle, Mike will swim breast stroke, Sam will swim back stroke, and Clayton will swim butterfly. For the women's team, Karen will swim breast stroke, Jan will swim butterfly, Carol will swim freestyle, and Ellen will swim back stroke.

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