22.

ASIGNMENT PROBLEM

Objectives
At the end of this unit, a student should be able to
 Know assignment problem
 Know methods of finding solution
 Know variations in the problem
 Understand the significance of these methods
 Obtain the optimal solution to an assignment problem
 Appreciate the use of assignment problem in decision making.

Structure
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Solution to the assignment problem
22.3 Special Cases In Assignment Problems
22.4 Key words
22.5 Suggested readings
22.6 Review exercise

22.1 Introduction:

The assignment problem is a special type of LPP. We have already discussed it in the unit
!8. This is a problem of making allotments of jobs to machines or machines to men.
The cost of assignment is known. For example: there are m machines and m jobs. All
machines can perform all jobs. The cost estimates, of each job on each machine is known.
One machine has to be assign one job. No two jobs can be assigned to same machines.
And no two machines can process same job. There has to be one – to – one
correspondence. The total cost is to be maximized. This can be formulated as a linear
programming problem.

Let X ij indicate the assignment of ith job to jth machine. The X ij can take only values
0 and 1. If the assignment is done X ij = 1 other wise it is 0.

Let the cost of assignment be C ij

Total cost of assignment is c i j

ij X ij

Objective function is

Minimize Z = c
i j
ij X ij

There is only one job of each type and only one machine of each type. Hence the
availability and requirements are one. This means if we show it in matrix form as LPP.
We get

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 Machine X Y Z SUPPLY
Jobs
A C11 C12 C13 1

B C21 C22 C23 1

C C31 C32 C33 1

Demand 1 1 1 3

 X ij = 1
i

 X ij = 1
j

and X ij = 0 if assignment is not done

X ij = 1 if job is assigned to jth machine
So we can write it as
Min Z =   C ij X ij
i j

s.t.  X ij = 1
i

 X ij = 1
j

X ij = 0 or 1

Assignment problem is a variation of transportation problem, when we take the

requirement or the demand and availability or supply of the every source and destination
is one. Here in assignment we will have the allocation of men and machines or men and
jobs and machines and jobs etc. As assignment is a special type of transportation problem
we can use the methods that are developed for obtaining the optimal solution of a
transportation problem.

22.2 Solution to the assignment problem

A) Complete Enumeration Method

All possible assignments are listed and the optimal assignment is obtained by, observing
and comparing the total assignment cost.

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When there are two men and two jobs, possible number of assignments are 2. When there
are three men and three jobs, the possible assignments are 6, but as the number of men
and machines increases the possible number of assignments increases drastically. If
number of men and jobs is n the possible number of assignments is n!. Enumerating all
possible assignments may not be feasible and possible and so this method is not
appropriate.

B) As mentioned above, we can solve the assignment problem using the simplex
method, as it is a LPP only.
C) The methods available for transportation problem a\can also be employed to
obtain the solution to an assignment problem.

D) Hungarian method:

This method is developed for the assignment problem. The algorithm is for the
maximization problem. But we know that the maximization problem can be converted
to minimization problem.

The step-wise description is given below:

Step I: Subtract the minimum of every row from each element of the row. Observe
every column. If every column has at least zero then go to step III, other wise to step
II

Step II: Subtract the minimum of the column from every element of the column.

Step III: Draw minimum number of horizontal/vertical lines passing through

maximum possible zeroes.
If the number of lines drawn is equal to n then the matrix is ready for the optimal
assignment. Got to Step VI.

Otherwise go to step IV
Step IV: Subtract the minimum of the uncovered elements from each uncovered
element and add to the elements at the intersection of the lines (if any) drawn in Step
III.

Step V: Go to Step III.

Step VI: Observe the row/ column with only one zero. Mark that zero for assignment.
Cross the zeroes if any in the same column or row. Repeat this till all the assignments
are done.

Here we note that there are possible number of lines possible are always less than or
equal to n. Hence if if one is getting more than n lines, indicates that minimum
number of lines is not drawn.
At the end calculate the total assignment cost using original given matrix values.

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Illustration

Solve the following assignment problem for minimum cost.

Jobs I II III IV
Men
A 160 130 175 190
B 135 120 130 160
C 140 110 125 170
D 50 50 80 80

We follow the above Hungarian method to solve this assignment problem.

Step I: Observe the rows for minimum value

In first row it is 130, in second column it is 120, third column is 110 and the fourth
column is 50. We subtract these values from every element of the rows
We get

30 0 45 60
15 0 10 40
30 0 15 60
0 0 30 30
Not all columns have at least one zero so we go to step II

Step II subtract minimum element of columns from every element of the column. We get

30 0 35 30
15 0 0 10
30 0 5 30
0 0 20 0
Step III: we have to draw the minimum number of horizontal/ vertical lines passing
through maximum number of zeroes.

30 0 35 30
15 0 0 10
30 0 5 30
0 0 20 0

Number of lines drawn is 3, that is <4. So we go to step IV

Step IV: Subtract the minimum of the uncovered elements from each uncovered element
and add to the elements at the intersection of the lines (if any) drawn in Step III.

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Uncovered elements are those from which the lines are not passing. Minimum number
is 5. We will subtract 5 from all the elements not passing through the lines. and add 5 to
the intersection of these lines.

We get
25 0 30 25
15 5 0 10
25 0 0 25
0 5 20 0

We draw the lines passing through the zeroes once again.

25 0 30 25
15 5 0 10
25 0 0 25
0 5 20 0

As the number of lines passing through zeroes is less than 4 , the order of the matrix,
Once again we repeat the step IV

We get

15 0 30 15
5 5 0 0
15 0 0 15
0 5 20 0
We draw the lines passing through these zeroes.

15 0 30 15
5 5 0 0
15 0 0 15
0 5 20 0

Number of lines is 4, the matrix is ready for assignment.

15 0 30 15

5 5 0 0

15 0 0 15

0 5 20 0

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The sign  indicates the assignment and the sign  indicates the assignment is not there.
There is only one  in every row and column which assures the 1-1 correspondence of the
jobs and the men.

The assignments are

A-II
B-IV
C-III
D-I
Cost of assignment is 130+160+125+50 =465

Exercise

Using the following cost matrix, determine the optimal job assignment and the cost of
assignment.

Machinist Job
1 2 3 4 5
A 10 3 3 2 8
B 9 7 8 2 7
C 7 5 6 2 4
D 3 5 8 2 4
E 9 10 9 6 10

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22.3 Special Cases In Assignment Problems

1.Unbalanced Assignment Problem

When the cost matrix of an assignment problem is not a square matrix (number of rows
not equal to number of column) it is called unbalanced assignment problem. In such
cases, dummy rows and/or columns are added in the matrix to make it a balanced (square
matrix). This dummy added has a cost of zero. The optimal assignment with dummy
indicates that it will have no job to perform. Other than this, dummy is not play any
significant role.

Illustration
A methods engineer bonds to assign 4 new methods to 3 work centers. The assignment of
the new methods will increase the production. The cost incurred is given below. If only
one method can be assigned to a work center. Determine the optimal assignment.

STEP 1 – There are 4 methods & 3 work centers so its an unbalanced problem. So to
make it a balanced problem we will add a dummy work center having zero value for each
method.

Work stations
Methods A B C Dummy
1 10 7 8 0
2 8 9 7 0 STEP 2 - Solve using Hungarian
3 7 7 12 0 Method.
4 10 10 10 0
We subtract the minimum of the row
from each element of the row. But here every row has a zero so the matrix remains
unaltered.

We subtract the minimum of the column from each element of the column.
We get

3 0 1 0
1 2 0 0
0 0 5 0
2 3 3 0

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We draw the minimum number of lines passing through the maximum number of zeroes.
3 0 1 0
1 2 0 0
0 0 5 0
2 3 3 0

3 0 1 0
1 2 0 0
0 0 5 0
2 3 3 0

Number of lines is four. That means the matrix is ready for assignment.

3 0 1 0
1 2 0 0
0 0 5 0
2 3 3 0
The assignment and total cost of assignment is

Methods Work Station Cost

1 B 7

2 C 7

3 A 7

4 Dummy 0

Total Cost 21

2. Multiple Optimum Solutions

There may be multiple optimum solutions with the same total cost of assignment. In such
type of situation management may exercise their judgment or preference and select that
set of optimum solution, which is more, suited to their requirement. In such cases, it is
possible to have two or more ways to cross out all zeros elements in the final reduced
matrix for a given problem. There are more than the required numbers of independent
zero elements.

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3. Prohibited Assignment – Sometimes due to certain reason, an assignment cannot be
made in a particular cell. For example, a particular machine cannot be installed at a
particular place or a worker cannot be given a particular job to perform. To solve this we
put a very large cost of assignment, M to avoid assignment in these cells where there is a
restriction of assignment. Doing this, that assignment will never come in the optimal
solution.

Illustration
A firm is contemplating the introduction of 3 products 1,2,3 in its three plants A,B,C.
only a single product is decided to be introduced in each of the plants. The unit cost of
producing a product in a plant is given in the following matrix. Product-1 cannot be
produced at plant C.

Plant
Product A B C
1 8 12 -
Step 2 10 6 4 1: - since product-1 cannot be assigned to plant-C
we 3 7 6 6 will assign M in that cell
Plant
Product A B C
1 8 12 M
2 10 6 4
3 7 6 6

STEP 2: - Solve the problem using Hungarian method.

Subtract the minimum of row from every element of row.

Plant
Product A B C
1 0 4 M
2 6 2 0
3 1 0 0

Every column has at least one zero so we skip step II and draw the number of
lines passing through zeroes.

0 4 M
6 2 0
1 0 0

Number of lines are three, we can assign as follows

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 Product Plant Cost
1 A 8
2 C 4
3 B 6
Total Cost 18

4. Maximization Case In Assignment Problem

The pay off elements of the assignment problem may represent profits instead of costs so
our objective will be to maximize the total profit. So to convert a maximization problem
to minimization problem, select the largest element in the matrix and subtract all other
elements of the matrix from the largest element. Doing this we are obtaining a matrix that
is penalty to be paid by not assigning the maximum cell. And the matrix of penalties is a
problem of minimization. We solve the resultant matrix using Hungarian method.

Illustration

Four jobs are processed on different machines; one job on one machine. Resulting
profits vary with assignments. They are given here

Machines
Jobs A B C D
Find I 42 35 28 21 the optimum assignment of jobs to
II 30 25 20 15 machines and the corresponding profit
III 30 25 20 15
IV 24 20 16 12
STEP 1: - We have to maximize our
profit. First select largest element from the matrix i.e 42 and subtract each element with
42.
Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 7 14 21
II 12 17 22 27
III 12 17 22 27
IV 18 22 26 30

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STEP 2: - Subtract smallest element in each row from every number in that row.
Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 7 14 21
II 0 5 10 15
III 0 5 10 15
IV 0 4 8 12

STEP 3: - Subtract smallest element in each column from every number in that column.
Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 3 6 9
II 0 1 2 3
III 0 1 2 3
IV 0 0 0 0

STEP 4: - Draw the minimum number of vertical & horizontal lines necessary to cover
all zero elements.

Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 3 6 9
II 0 1 2 3
III 0 1 2 3
IV 0 0 0 0

Since number of lines is 2 & order of matrix is 4 so we will subtract the minimum of
uncovered element i.e 1 from all covered element & add to the intersection of any two
line. we get,

Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 2 5 8
II 0 0 1 2
III 0 0 1 2
IV 1 0 0 0

STEP 5: - Repeat step 3 & step 4.

Machines
Jobs A B C D

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 I 0 2 5 8
II 0 0 1 2
III 0 0 1 2
IV 1 0 0 0

The number of lines are less than four so we we will subtract the minimum of uncovered
element i.e 1 from all covered element & add to the intersection of any two line. we get,

Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 2 4 7
II 0 0 0 1
III 0 0 0 1
IV 2 1 0 0

We draw the lines covering maximum number of zeroes.

Machines

Jobs A B C D
I 0 2 4 7
II 0 0 0 1
III 0 0 0 1
IV 2 1 0 0

STEP 6: - Now number of lines is equal to order of matrix so we can do the assignment.
Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 2 4 7
We II 0 0 0 1 observe the rows and columns to make the
III 0 0 0 1 assignment.
IV 2 1 0 0
Machines
Jobs A B C D
I 0 2 4 7
II 0 0 0 1
III 0 0 0 1
IV 2 1 0 0

STEP 7: - Here it is possible to have 2 ways to cross all zero elements in final matrix. So
it has multiple optimum solution with the same total cost of assignment.

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Jobs Machine Cost Jobs Machine Cost
I A 42 I A 42
II B 25 II C 20
III C 20 III B 25
IV D 12 IV D 12
Total 99 Total 99
Profit Profit

22.4 Key words

Assignment problem: The situation where some allocations about the machines job is to
be made to minimize the total assignment cost

Hungerian method: Systematic method to obtain the solution to the assignment problem

22.5 Suggested readings

Billey e. Gillet, Introduction to operations research –a computer oriented algorithmic

approach

Prem Kumar Gupta & D.S. Hira, Operations research

N. Paul Loomba, Management – A quantitative perspective, 1978, Macmillan Publishing

Company, New York

N.D.Vora, Quantitative Techniques in Management, 1997, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing

Company Ltd. New Delhi India

H.A.Taha, Operations Research an Introduction, 2002 Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd.
New Delhi.

Anderson et al, An introduction to Management Science quantitative approach to

decision-making, Tenth edition, 2003, Thomson Asia Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai India.

22.6 Review exercise

1.A farmer has three farms A,B,C which need respectively 100,300 and 50 units of water
(in suitable units).The canal can supply 150 units and the tube well 200 units while the
balance is left at the mercy of rain god. The following table shows the cost per unit of
water in a dry year when the rain totally fail, the third row gives the cost of failure of the
rain. Find how the canal and tube well water should be utilized to minimize the total cost.

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 A B C
Canal 3 5 7 150
Tube well 6 4 10 200
Failure of rain 8 10 3 100
100 300 50
2. Three employees of a company are to be assigned to three jobs which can be done by
any of them. Because of the different number of years spent in the organization, John,
Jim and Sally get different wages per hour, $6, $8, and $10, respectively. The amount of
time in hours taken by each employee to do the job is given in table below. Determine the
cost of best assignment.
Job John Jim Sally
A 5 3 6
B 4 5 8
C 6 7 1

3. Scott and Associates Inc., is an accounting firm that has three new clients. Project
leaders will be assigned to the three clients. Based on the different backgrounds and
experiences of the leaders, the various leader-client assignments differ in terms of
projected completion times. The possible assignments and the estimated completion
times in days are
Client
Project leader 1 2 3
Jackson 10 16 32
Ellis 14 22 40
Smith 22 24 34
4. A job shop has purchased three new machines of different types. There are four
available locations in the shop where a machine could be installed. Some of these
locations are more desirable than others for particular machines because of their
proximity to work centers which would have a heavy work flow to and fro from the
machines. The estimated cost per unit time of materials handling involving each of the
machines is given below for the respective locations.

Location 1 2 3 4
Machines
1 13 10 12 11
2 15 - 13 20
3 5 7 10 6

What is the optimal assignment?

5. A department head has four subordinates and four tasks to be performed. The subordinates
differ in efficiency and the tasks differ in their intrinsic difficulty. His estimates of the time that
each man would take to perform each task I given below
Tasks
Subordinates I II III IV
A 8 26 17 11

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 B 13 28 4 26
C 38 19 18 15
D 19 26 24 10
How should the tasks be allotted to subordinates so as to maximize the total man-hours.

6. 3 A project work that consists of four major jobs for which an equal number of
contractors have submitted tenders. The tender amount quoted in lakhs of rupees is given
in the matrix.
Job
Contractor A B C D
1 10 24 30 15
2 16 22 28 12
3 12 20 32 10
4 9 26 34 16
find the assignment which minimizes the total cost of project, when each contractor has
to be assigned only one job.

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