Meaning of Linear Programming

Linear Programming is the analysis 0f problems in which a

linear function of a number of restraints in the form of inequalities.
Linear Programing helps the management to know either the
maximum profit strategy or the best production programmes open to
it. It is one of the most important tools of Operation Research used on
management problems. Thus Linear Programming is a technique of
selecting of selecting the best possible in terms 0f maximization or
minimization of some desired action e.g. maximization off output or
minimization of production costs.
Linear programming from economist and businessmen view
point emerges due to scarce resources among alternative ends e.g.
scarce Linear Programming resources for a firm are capacity,
personnel, equipment, material, warehousing etc.
Uses and applications of Linear Programming
Linear Programming supplies valuable information for proper
planning and control of operations by evaluating an optimum
combination of several factors (variables) involved in the
phenomenon under known constraints e.g.
(i) Optimal products lines and production processes : While operating
at a high output level, a farm is likely to run into a variety of capacity
limitations e.g. size of factory, amount of time available on different
machines, warehouse space, skilled personnel. All these may create
bottlenecks. A crucial characteristic of such situation is that the
production of a relatively unprofitable item or the use of a production
process which makes liberal use of the scarce facility may consume
valuable capacity that could be otherwise used in more economical
processes.
In otherwords an economy has at its disposal given quantities of
various factors of production and a number of tasks to which these
factors can be devoted. These factors can be allocated to different
tasks in a number of different ways and one is interested in ‘best’
allocation.
Linear Programming gives solution to such situations providing
a clear and sound understanding of the complex phenomenon to the
executive by formulating the (i) objectives to be pursed, (ii) the
various restrictions present, (iii) the various alternative courses of
actions and relationship between them, if any, and (iv) the
contribution of each alternatives action towards the accomplishment
of the objectives. The technique is based on some mathematical
model building of the phenomenon and its analysis provides
trustworthy interpretations. The problems which can be effectively
solved by linear programming techniques can be listed as :
(i) Transport and Routing operations in the fields of agriculture,
industry and military.
(ii) Production scheduling and inventory control.
(iii) Blending problems.
(iv) Least cost combination of inputs.
(v) Minimisation of raw materials waste.
(vi) Animal feed problem.
(vii) Job assignment to specialised personnel.
The fundamental characteristic in all such cases is to find
some optimum strategy under certain known specifications.
Essential Ingredients of Linear Programming :
Formulation of suitable mathematical model to explain the given
situation is the starting point of linear programming. The model can
be conveniently framed by getting the answer to the following
querries :
(i) What factors or values are not known?
(ii) What is the objective ?
(iii) What are the restrictions, specifications or constraints ?
This information is then translated into the following ingredients
of Linear Programming :
 (a) Objective function : The function to be optimized is known
as objective function. It is some sort of linear mathematical
relationship between the variables/factors under consideration. If the
important features of a system can be explained by m factors X 1, X 12,
…., X m, then the objective function can be expressed in the linear
form
Z = a 1 X 1 + a 2 X 2 + …+ a m X m ..
(14.1)
Where a 1, a 2, …. , a m are some known constants, generally known as
prices associated with the variables.
The objective function is always non-negative.
(b) Constraints or linear restrictions : These are the set of
restrictions imposed on the variables or some combination of few or
all the variables appearing in the objective function. These constraints
or restrictions are due to limitations of manpower, capacity available,
time restrictions etc. i.e. the resources. These restrictions are never
known in exact terms but are always given in some approximate terms
i.e. less than or more than some given amount. In case it is known
exactly, one can use well known techniques of maxima and minima
and minima to find the optimum solution. But in practice the
constraints are some algebraic inequalities expressed as ‘greater than
(>)’, ‘greater than or equal to (≥)’ or ‘less than equal to (≤)’ e.g.
b1 X 1 + b2 X 2 ≤ c
Where b 1, b 2 and c are some constants.
The resource constraints are also assumed to be linear e.g. in a
product mix I.p.p., it is assumed that each extra unit to be made
requires exactly the sane time as the previous unit.
The inequalities i.e. the constraints in a problem can be more
than one.
All variables should have positive values.
(c) Feasible Solution : A feasible solution of a linear
programming problem is a set of values for the variables X 1, X 2, …. ,
X m which simultaneously satisfies all the constraints. For a given
problem there can be many feasible solutions depending on the nature
of the phenomenon.
Infeasible solution occurs to an I.p.p. if at least two of the
constraints are conflicting in nature e.g. X 1 + X 2 ≥ 7 and X 1 + X 2 ≤
1.
(d) Optimal Solution : A feasible solution which optimizes the
objective function is known as Optimal Solution. An optimal solution
is always feasible but all feasible solutions cannot be optimal.