MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

(Linear Programming)

Linear programming is an optimization method which shows how to

allocate scarce resources such as materials, money or time and to do such
allocation in the best possible way subject to more than one restricting
conditions.

In an optimization problem, one seeks to maximize revenue, profit,

sales, or minimize cost, man-hour, called the objective, which depends on a
finite number of input variables, such as materials, money, machine-hour,
called constraints.

Problem Formularization

Most often, optimization problems are stated verbally. The following

steps are recommended for transforming a word problem into a
mathematical program.

1. Determine the quantity to be optimized and express it as a mathematical

function.

2. Identify all stipulated requirements, restrictions and limitations and

express them in equations and/or inequalities. These requirements
constitute the constraint.

3. Express any hidden conditions such as non-negativity or integer

requirements on the input variables.

Graphical Method to solve linear programs

Graphs and ordinary algebra are not proper tools for solving real world
linear programming yet they will enable us to obtain understandings of the
solution process itself and they will lay the conceptual basis for introducing
the mathematics of linear programming.

My Furnitures, makes two products, book shelves, selling for P5,000.00

and cabinets selling for P8,000.00. The direct cost per unit is P3,000.00 and
P4,000.00, respectively. The company has no difficulty in selling all the
product it can manufacture. The assembly department has 60 hours
available per week, the finishing department can handle up to 48 hours of
work per week. Manufacturing one book shelves requires 4 hours in
assembly and 2 hours in finishing. Each cabinet requires 2 hours in assembly
and 4 hours in finishing. How can management allocate the limited man-hour
of the two departments in a way which will secure the largest possible net
return?

Finding the optimum allocation of limited capacities is equivalent to

finding the output combination called product mix, which will maximize net
return subject to the restrictions.

Solution

Let x represent the number of book shelves and y represent the

number of cabinet.
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 Step 1

Determine what is to be optimized. The net contribution to profit (for

sales above the breakeven point) is P2,000.00 (P5,000.00-P3,000.00) for
book shelves and P4,000.00 (P8,000.00-P4,000.00) for a cabinet. The
objective function is expressed as

maximize:

Profit = 2x + 4y (in thousands of Pesos)

Step 2

Identify the constraints:

Assembly:

4x + 2y ≤ 60

Finishing:

2x + 4y ≤ 48

The problem can now be summarized in the mathematical form:

Objective:

Fmax = 2x +4y

Subject to:

4x + 2y ≤ 60

2x +4y ≤ 48

with:

x≥0, y≥0

Step 3

Plot the constraints in the problem on a graph on the xy-plane.

The inequality 4x +2y ≤ 60 may be located on the graph by first

locating two terminal points and joining this points by a straight line. Let x =
0, then y≤ 30. This denotes the production 0 book shelves and 30 cabinets
per week in the assembly department. Let y= 0, then x ≤ 15. This denotes
the production of 15 book shelves and 0 cabinets per week. Locating this two
points ( 0, 30) and ( 0,15 ), and joining them results the straight line as
shown in the figure.

The inequality 2x +4y ≤ 48, Let x =0, then y ≤ 12. This denotes the
production of 0 book shelves and 12 cabinets in the finishing department. Let
y=0,then x≤ 24. This denotes the production of 24 book shelves and
0cabinet per week. Locating this two points (0, 12) and (24,0) and joining
them in the straight line as shown in the figure.

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 Example 1:

A store has requested a manufacturer to produce pants and sports jackets.

For materials, the manufacturer has of cotton textile and of
polyester. Every pair of pants (1 unit) needs of cotton and of
polyester. Every jacket needs of cotton and of polyester. The
price of the pants is fixed at $50 and the jacket, $40. What is the number of
pants and jackets that the manufacturer must give to the stores so that
these items obtain a maximum sale?

Solution:

Step 1 - Identify the Decision Variables

Choose the unknowns.
x = number of pants
y = number of jackets

Step 2 -Write the objective function.

Step 3 - Identify the set of Constraints. Table of Specifications.

To write the constraints, use a table:

Pants jackets available

cotton 1 1.5 750
polyester 2 1 1,000

x, y ≥ 0

As the number of pants and jackets are natural numbers, there are two more
constraints:
x≥0
y≥0

Step 4 - Choose the method for solving the problem

There are many methods to solve a linear programming method.
In this problem, we will find the solution of the problem
graphically.
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 Step 5 - Construct the graph
Represent the constraints graphically.
As x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 0, work in the first quadrant.
Represent the straight lines from their points of
intersection with the axes.

Solve the inequality graphically:

, and take a point on the plane, for example (0,0).

Since then the point (0,0) is in the half plane where the inequality
is satisfied.

Similarly, solve .

Step 6 - Identify the feasible region

The area of intersection of the solutions of the inequalities would be
the solution to the system of inequalities, which is the set of feasible
solutions.

Step 7 - Find the optimum point

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 Calculate the coordinates of the vertices from the compound of
feasible solutions.
The optimal solution, if unique, is in a vertex. These are the solutions
to the systems:

Now, we will calculate the value of the objective function at each of the
vertices to determine which of them has the maximum or minimum values. It
must be taken into account the possible non-existence of a solution if the
compound is not bounded.
In the objective function, place each of the vertices that were determined in
the previous step.

Maximum

The optimum solution is to make 375 pants and 250 jackets to obtain
a benefit of $28,750.
The solution is not always unique, so we can also find other solutions.

Example 2:

Professor Hamer is on a low cholesterol diet. During lunch at the college

cafeteria, he always chooses between two meals, Pasta or Tofu. The table
below lists the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins each meal
provides along with the amount of cholesterol he is trying to minimize. Mr.
Hamer needs at least 200 grams of protein, 960 grams of carbohydrates, and
40 grams of vitamins for lunch each month. Over this time period, how many
days should he have the Pasta meal, and how many days the Tofu meal so
that he gets the adequate amount of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins
and at the same time minimizes his cholesterol intake?

Solution

We choose the variables as follows.

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 Let x = The number of days Mr. Hamer eats Pasta.

and y= The number of days Mr. Hamer eats Tofu.

Since he is trying to minimize his cholesterol intake, our objective function

represents the total amount of cholesterol C provided by both meals.

C = 60x + 50y

The constraint associated with the total amount of protein provided by both
meals is

8x + 16y ≥ 200

Similarly, the two constraints associated with the total amount of

carbohydrates and vitamins are obtained, and they are

60x + 40y ≥ 960

2x +2y ≥ 40

The constraints that state that x and y are non-negative are

x ≥ 0, and y ≥ 0

We summarize all information as follows:

Minimize Subject to: C = 60x + 50y

8x + 16y ≥ 200

60x + 40y ≥ 960

2x + 2y ≥ 40

x,y ≥ 0

To solve the problem, we graph the constraints and shade the feasibility
region.

We have shaded the unbounded feasibility region, where all constraints are
satisfied.

To minimize the objective function, we find the vertices of the feasibility

region. These vertices are (0, 24), (8, 12), (15, 5) and (25, 0). To minimize
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 cholesterol, we will substitute these points in the objective function to see
which point gives us the smallest value. The results are listed below.

The point (8, 12) gives the least cholesterol, which is 1080 mg. This
states that for every 20 meals, Professor Hamer should eat Pasta 8 days, and
Tofu 12 days.

Assignment: (Assignment #1-Linear Programming)

1. A company makes two products: bulbs and fluorescents. Each bulb takes 6
hours for
fabrication and 6 hours for testing. Each fluorescent takes 12 hours for
fabrication and 2
hours for testing. The company has 120 hours available for the fabrication
and 30 hours
available for testing. The profit for each bulb is Php100.00 and for each
fluorescent is
Php160.00. Find the number of bulbs and fluorescent the company can
produce to
maximize its profit.

2. A multinational company makes both a regular and a deluxe model

battery. Each battery
has one plastic casing. The regular model can be assembled in 10
minutes, but the deluxe
model takes 15 minutes. The firm must produce at least 120 regular and
150 deluxe
batteries. It has 300 plastic cases on the hand and eight employees in the
assembly
department, each of whom works eight hours a day. Find the feasibility
region for the
number of regular and deluxe batteries the firm can produce in order to
maximize its profit
if each regular and deluxe batteries profits are Php 120.00 and Php 200.00
respectively.

3. A patient needs at least 60 units of diet supplement A and at least 40 units

of diet
supplement B, Brand x capsules contain 8 units of A and 4 units of B, and
Brand y capsules
contains 5 units of A and 5 units of B. Find the feasibility region for the
number of capsules
of each brand the patient should take if the cost of brand x is Php 7.00
and brand y is Php
10.00 in order to minimize its cost.

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 4. JBC Corporation manufactures product x and product y. Product x requires
8 lbs. of fruit
extract and 6 lbs. of honey. Product y requires 4 lbs. of fruit extract and 6
lbs. of honey. On
a certain day the corporation has on hand 560 lbs. of fruit extract and 630
lbs. of honey if
the profit on product x is P15 per unit and the profit on product y is P12.00
per unit, how
many units of product x and how many of product y should the corporation
manufacture
on that day to maximize the profit?

5. A company makes two types of calculators: scientific model and non-

scientific
model: Each scientific model has one plastic case, contain 20
microcircuits,
and requires 6 working hours, Each non-scientific model has one plastic
case,
contain 10 microcircuits, and requires 5 working hours. If the company
has 24
plastic cases, 120 working hours, and 320 microcircuits available and if it
makes
a profit of P 90.00 on each non-scientific and P 120.00 on each scientific
model,
how many of each must if make in order to maximize its profit?

6. A publishing firm prints two magazines, the Kislap and the woman’s
World.
Each unit of Kislap magazine requires 1 unit of ink, 3 units of paper, and
4
Hours of printing press time to print; each unit of the woman’s requires 2
unit
Of ink. 3 units of paper, and 5 hours of printing press time to print: The
firm
Has 20 units of ink, 40 units of paper, and 60 hours of printing press time
ava-
Liable. If the profit realized upon sale is P 4.00 per unit of the Kislap
magazine and
P5.00 per unit of woman’s world. How many should the firm print so as to
maximize
profits?

7. Mrs. Tabachingching needs a diet that will supply her with at least 1,250
calories and
at least 700 units of vitamin C per day. Two types of food meet this
requirement.
Each unit of food A contains 20 calories and 10 units of vitamin C, and
costs Php
9.00; each unit of food B contains 15 calories and 10 units of vitamin C,
and cost
Php7.00. Determine the best possible combinations of the two types of
food that will
minimize cost while meeting the dietary requirements.

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 8. My Furnitures, makes two products, book shelves, selling for P5,000.00
and cabinets
selling for P8,000.00. The direct cost per unit is P3,000.00 and P4,000.00,
respectively. The
company has no difficulty in selling all the product it can manufacture. The
assembly
department has 60 hours available per week, the finishing department can
handle up to 48
hours of work per week. Manufacturing one book shelves requires 4 hours
in assembly and
2 hours in finishing. Each cabinet requires 2 hours in assembly and 4 hours
in finishing.
How can management allocate the limited man-hour of the two
departments in a way
which will secure the largest possible net return?

Prepared by:

Assoc. Prof. Renato E. Apa-ap

Research Coordinator-Science Cluster
Research Management Office

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