In order to have a clear understanding of simulation and
simulation tools used academically or commercially and using
the appropriate tool for a particular problem, a summary of
some definitions will be presented. Simulation is the imitation
of the operation of the real-world process or system over time.
The behavior of the system as it evolves over time is studied by
developing a simulation model. Simulation models can be classified
as either mathematical or physical. A mathematical
model uses symbolic notations and mathematical equations
to represent a system – e.g. mathematical models are queuing
theory, linear programming and Monte Carlo simulation.