Optimization is a specialized area of mathematics that focuses on the solution of real-world problems that seek to find, not simply a solution to a problem, but rather a specific solution that either maximizes or minimizes a specific characteristic of the problem. Many times, the goal is to maximize profit or minimize cost, but other characteristics may be of interest. In traditional mathematics, problems that seek to find the maximum or minimum value(s) of some abstract mathematical function are referred to as maximum-minimum or max-min problems. Optimization uses the same fundamental concepts to find maximum or minimum (that is, optimum) conditions in some-real world problem.