# Problem Formulation¶

In the PYOMO language, like any other algebraic modeling languages (AMLs) the optimization problem consists of three main components: decision variables, constraints, and an objective function. We shortly introduce these components and explain the supported modalities within the platform.

### Model¶

As on object-oriented language, PYOMO organizes the optimization problem into a single object of type ConcreteModel. It contains all the other components as python attributes. The model is declared in the following way:

import pyomo.environ as pyo

model = pyo.ConcreteModel()


### Decision Variables¶

The variables component is the “unknown part” of the model. The solver aims to assign them with values that constitute the best possible solution. We now proceed to describe the possible arguments for variable declaration in PYOMO. In many optimization problems, the variables are indexed. The index set is provided as the first argument to the PYOMO var object.

index_set = [0, 1, 2, 3]

model.x = pyo.Var(index_set)


Afterwards, variable domain should be stated. It may be a binary variable, an integer variable, a real variable, etc. The platform currently supports the binary and integer domains:

• Binary:

model.x = pyo.Var(index_set, domain=pyo.Binary)


• Integer:

model.x = pyo.Var(index_set, domain=pyo.NonNegativeIntegers, bounds=(0, 7))


One can also fix variable value if it is known in advance (so qubits will be saved):

model.x[0].fix(3)


### Constraints¶

Constraints enrich the descriptive power of optimization problems. Different scenarios, rules, regulations, and variable relations, may be phrased as conditions on decision variables that must be satisfied. In PYOMO the constraints are specified using equality or inequality expressions. There are several ways to integrate then inside exisiting PYOMO model:

• Using the expr argument:
model = pyo.ConcreteModel()
model.x = pyo.Var(index_set, domain=pyo.Binary)
model.amount_constraint = pyo.Constraint(expr=sum(model.x[i] for i in model.x) == 3)

• Using a rule argument and a separate python function:
def amount_rule(model):
return sum(model.x[i] for i in model.x) == 3

model.amount = pyo.Constraint(rule=amount_rule)

• Using a pythonic constraint decorator:
@model.Constraint()
def amount_rule(model):
return sum(model.x[i] for i in model.x) == 3


The constraints may be indexed in a similar fashion to the variables.

def size_rule(model, i):
return model.x[i] <= model.x[i + 1]

model.size_rule = pyo.Constraint(index_set[:-1], rule=size_rule)


### Objective Function¶

The objective function encodes the essence of the best solution. It is a function of the decision variables, which returns a real value that the optimization solver tries to either minimize or maximize.

It is incorporated into the PYOMO model similarly to the constraints: with an expr argument, with a rule argument, or with a decorator. An additional declaration argument is “sense”, which is set to either "minimize" or "maximize".

model.cost = pyo.Objective(expr=sum(model.x[i] for i in index_set), sense=pyo.maximize)


Further information about PYOMO objective functions.

### Importing¶

All PYOMO components can be imported from the sub package pyomo.environ:

import pyomo.environ as pyo

Model = pyo.ConcreteModel()
model.variable = pyo.Var()
model.constraint = pyo.Constraint()


### Complete Example¶

from typing import Union, List
import numpy as np
import pyomo.core as pyo
import networkx as nx

def mis(graph: Union[nx.Graph, List[List[int]]]) -> pyo.ConcreteModel:
if isinstance(graph, list):
graph = nx.convert_matrix.from_numpy_matrix(np.array(graph))
model = pyo.ConcreteModel()
model.Nodes = pyo.Set(initialize=list(graph.nodes))
model.Arcs = pyo.Set(initialize=list(graph.edges))

model.x = pyo.Var(model.Nodes, domain=pyo.Binary)

@model.Constraint(model.Arcs)
def independent_rule(model, node1, node2):
return model.x[node1] + model.x[node2] <= 1

model.cost = pyo.Objective(expr=sum(model.x.values()), sense=pyo.maximize)

return model


Here all components are combined under a single python function. It accepts user-defined inputs, and returns a complete PYOMO model with the assigned parameters. The function is saved in a file of the same name. In this example, the graph may be either an instance of the networkx.Graph class or the adjacency matrix in the form of List[List[int]].