LINEAR PROGRAMMING

Linear programming (LP) or Linear Optimisation may be defined as the problem of maximizing or
minimizing a linear function that is subjected to linear constraints. The constraints may be equalities or
inequalities. Linear programming problems are an important class of optimisation problems, that helps
to find the feasible region and optimise the solution in order to have the highest or lowest value of the
function.
“In other words, linear programming is considered as an optimization method to maximize or minimize
the objective function of the given mathematical model with the set of some requirements which are
represented in the linear relationship. The main aim of the linear programming problem is to find the
optimal solution.”
Linear programming is the method of considering different inequalities relevant to a situation and
calculating the best value that is required to be obtained in those conditions. Some of the assumptions
taken while working with linear programming are:
● The number of constraints should be expressed in the quantitative terms
● The relationship between the constraints and the objective function should be linear
● The linear function (i.e., objective function) is to be optimised

COMPONENTS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING

The basic components of the LP are as follows:

● Decision Variables
● Constraints
● Data
● Objective Functions

CHARACTERISTICS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING

The following are the five characteristics of the linear programming problem:
1. Constraints – The limitations should be expressed in the mathematical form, regarding the
resource.
2. Objective Function – In a problem, the objective function should be specified in a quantitative
way.
3. Linearity – The relationship between two or more variables in the function must be linear. It means
that the degree of the variable is one.
4. Finiteness – There should be finite and infinite input and output numbers. In case, if the function
has infinite factors, the optimal solution is not feasible.
5. Non-negativity – The variable value should be positive or zero. It should not be a negative value.
6. Decision Variables – The decision variable will decide the output. It gives the ultimate solution of
the problem. For any problem, the first step is to identify the decision variables.

ASSIGNMENT PROBLEM

Assignment Problem is a special type of linear programming problem where the objective is to minimise
the cost or time of completing a number of jobs by a number of persons.

“Given n facilities, n jobs and the effectiveness of each facility for each job, the problem is to assign each
facility to one and only one job in such a way that the measure of effectiveness is optimised (Maximised
or Minimised).”
CASE STUDY

WeeMow Lawn Service provides lawn service, including mowing lawns and lawn care, landscaping, and
lawn maintenance, to residential and commercial customers in the Draper town community. In the
summer Wee Mow has three teams that it schedules daily for jobs. Team 1 has five members, team 2
has four members, and team 3 has three members. On a normal summer day WeeMe have approximately
14 jobs. Each team works 10 hours a day, but because of the heat plus work breaks, each team can
actually works only 45 minutes out of every hour. The following table shows the times (in minutes) and
costs dollars) required for each team to complete the 14 jobs for a specific day.

Team 1 Team 2 Team 3

Job Time (min.) Cost ($) Time (min.) Cost ($) Time (min.) Cost ($)
A 45 48 65 55 78 50
B 67 70 72 60 85 55
C 90 94 105 84 125 75
D 61 65 78 65 97 60
E 75 80 93 75 107 66
F 48 55 70 65 95 60
G 65 70 83 70 110 67
H 67 72 84 74 100 65
I 95 100 110 90 130 80
J 60 65 78 65 95 62
K 47 55 64 57 84 56
L 114 118 135 110 155 95
M 85 90 107 98 125 75
N 63 67 81 72 102 68

The Wee Mow manager wants to develop a schedule of team assignments to the jobs for this day.

1. Formulate and solve a linear programming model to determine the assignments of teams to jobs
that will minimize total job time for the day, given a daily budget of $1,000.
2. Indicate how many minutes each crew will work during the day.
3. Next reformulate and solve this model if cost minimization is the objective of these two models,
which one do you think the manger should select and why?
SOLUTION :

CASE 1: TOTAL TIME MINIMISATION (Refer to sheet 1)

Formulation of LPP

Objective:
Minimise Total Job Time

Assumptions:

Job
Team A B C D E F G H I J K L M N

1 X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X10 X11 X12 X13 X14

2 X15 X16 X17 X18 X19 X20 X21 X22 X23 X24 X25 X26 X27 X28

3 X29 X30 X31 X32 X33 X34 X35 X36 X37 X38 X39 X40 X41 X42
x1 , x2 ….x42 denote binary variables, where 1 denotes job being done and 0 denotes job not being done.

⇒ Min Z = 45 x1 + 67 x2 +90 x3 +61x4 +75x5 +48x6 +65x7 +67x8 +95x9 +60x10 +47x11 +114x12 +85x13
+63x14
+65x15 +72x16 +105x17 +78x18 +93 x19 +70x20 +83X21 +84x22 +110x23 +78x24 +64x25 +135x26 +107x27
+81x28 +78+x29 +85x30 +125x31 +97x32 +107x33 +95x34 +110x35 +100x36 +130x37 +95x38 +84x39 +135x40
+125x41 +102x42

Subject to,

● 48 x1 + 70 x2 +94 x3 +65x4 +80x5 +55x6 +70x7 +72x8 +100x9 +65x10 +55x11 +118x12 +90x13 +67x14
+55x15 +60x16 +84x17 +65x18 +75 x19 +65x20 +70X21 +74x22 +90x23 +65x24 +57x25 +110x26 +98x27
+72x28 +50x29 +55x30 +75x31 +60x32 +66x33 +60x34 +67x35 +65x36 +80x37 +62x38 +56x39 +95x40
+75x41 +68x42 ≤ 1000

● x1 , x2 ….till x42 are integers

● 45 x1 + 67 x2 +90 x3 +61x4 +75x5 +48x6 +65x7 +67x8 +95x9 +60x10 +47x11 +114x12 +85x13 +63x14 ≤
450

● 65x15 +72x16 +105x17 +78x18 +93 x19 +70x20 +83X21 +84x22 +110x23 +78x24 +64x25 +135x26
+107x27 +81x28 ≤ 450

● 78+x29 +85x30 +125x31 +97x32 +107x33 +95x34 +110x35 +100x36 +130x37 +95x38 +84x39 +135x40
+125x41 +102x42 ≤ 450