THE ASSIGNMENT PROBLEM

1. Introduction
The Assignment Problem (AP) is a special type of
the Transportation Problem (TP) with a simpler
structure:

Minimize ! = ∑# #
!$% ∑"$% $!" %!"
subject to

jonetoorearespmderoneassignmeutt.ee
∑#
Oneassigneetooneun.ae
assigmat "$% %!" = 1, for ' = 1,2, … , +

∑#
!$% %!" = 1, for , = 1,2, … , +
achassigne
and %!" = 0 /0 1, for all i and j.

1.1. The transportation simplex procedure can be used

for solving the AP but it is not efficient. A more
efficient method is known as the Hungarian method
based on the following theorem (proved by
Hungarian mathematician König in 1916):

“If the elements of a matrix are divided into two

classes by property R, then the minimum number of
lines drawn through rows or columns needed to
cover all elements with property R is equal to the
maximum number of elements with the property R
where no two such elements appear in the same row
or column.”
-

-
The Hungarian Method
Step 1 - Find the minimum cost in each row of the m X m cost matrix. Construct a new

_
matrix by substracting from each cost the minimum cost in its row (i.e., for row i
compute c{,O)= cij - minj cij for all i).

Step 2 - For this new matrix [c$')], construct a new matrix (called the reduced cost matrix)
_

b y substracting from each cost the minimum cost in its column (i.e., for column j

_
compute c!): = c!): - mini cij
(0)
for all j). Set k = 1.

Step 3 - Draw the minimum number of lines (horizontal and/or vertical) that are needed
(k) 1. If m lines are required to cover
t o cover all the zeros in the reduced cost matrix [cij
all the zeros, an optimal solution is available among the covered zeros in the matrix.
+
If fewer than m lines are needed to cover all the zeros, increase k to k 1, and go to
Step 4.

_
Step 4 - Find the smallest uncrossed element hk in the reduced cost matrix [c!:)]. Substract
hk from all uncovered elements and add it to each element that is covered by two lines.
Return t o Step 3.

Procedure for Drawing a Minimum Number of Lines to Cover all

Zero Elements
1. Mark all rows which have no assignments (i.e., rows without ).
2. Mark all columns which have zeros in marked rows.
3. Mark all rows which have assignments ( ) in marked columns.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until no more rows or columns can be marked.

5. Draw a line through each unmarked row, and through each marked column.