Linear Programming

Introduction To Linear Programming


Today many of the resources needed as
inputs to operations are in limited supply.

Operations managers must understand
the impact of this situation on meeting
their objectives.

Linear programming (LP) is one way that
operations managers can determine how
best to allocate their scarce resources.
 Linear Programming
 A technique for choosing the best
alternative from a set of feasible
alternatives.

 A technique for determining an

optimum schedule of interdependent
activities in view of the available
resources.
General LPP-
 Objective function-
Max/Min z=c1x1+c2x2+…+cnxn
subject to (Constraints)
a11x1+a12x2+.…+a1nxn ,=, b1
a21x1+a22x2+….+a2nxn ,=, b2
…………………………………
am1x1+am2x2+…+amnxn ,=, bm
(Non negative restrictions)
xi  0 ; 1=1,2,….,n
Steps in Formulating LP Problems
1. Define the objective. (min or max)
2. Define the decision variables.
3. Write the mathematical function for the objective.
4. Write a 1- or 2-word description of each constraint.
5. Write the right-hand side (RHS) of each constraint.
6. Write <, =, or > for each constraint.
7. Write the decision variables on LHS of each
constraint and assign coefficients to each decision var..
8. Write the non negative restrictions for all decision
variables.
Example: LP Formulation
Montana Wood Products manufacturers two-
high quality products, tables and chairs. Its
profit is Rs 50 per chair and Rs 70 per table.
Weekly production is constrained by available
labor and wood. Each chair requires 4 labor
hours and 8 board feet of wood while each
table requires 3 labor hours and 12 board
feet of wood. Available wood is 2400 board
feet and available labor is 920 hours.
Management also requires at least 40 tables
and at least 160 chairs be produced .To
maximize profits, how many chairs and tables
should be produced?
Solution:
Objective Function-

Maximize total weekly profit
Define the decision variables-
x1 = number of chairs produced weekly
x2 = number of tables produced weekly
Write the mathematical objective
function
Max Z = 50x1 + 70x2
One word description of each constraint RHS
Labor hours available

920
Board feet available

2400
At least 40 tables

40
At least 160 chairs

160
Write <, =, > for each constraint
< 920


< 2400


> 40


> 160

Write all the decision variables on the left-
hand side of each constraint
x1 x2 < 920


x1 x2 < 2400


x2 > 40


x1 ≥ 160


Write the coefficient for each decision variable

+ 4x1 + 3x2 < 920

+ 8x1 + 12x2 < 2400


x2 > 40

 LP in Final Form
Max Z = 50x1 + 70x2

Subject To
4x1 + 3x2 < 920 ( labor constraint)


8x1 + 12x2 < 2400 ( wood constraint)



x2 - 40 > 0 (at least 40 tables)



x1 - 160 > 0 (atleast 4 chairs for every table)



x1 , x2 > 0

(non-negativity constraints)
A Simple Maximization Problem
Par, Inc., is a small manufacturer of golf equipment and
supplies whose management has decided to move into the
market for medium- and high-priced golf bags. Par, Inc.’s
distributor has agreed to buy all the golf bags Par, Inc.,
produces over the next three months.
Each golf bag produced will require the following operations:
1. Cutting and dyeing the material
2. Sewing
3. Finishing (inserting umbrella holder, club separators,
etc.)
4. Inspection and packaging

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A Simple Maximization Problem
This production information is summarized in this
table:

Production Time (hours)

Department Standard Bag Deluxe Bag
Cutting and Dyeing 7/10 1
Sewing 1/2 5/6
Finishing 1 2/3
Inspection and Packaging 1/10 1/4

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A Simple Maximization Problem
• Par, Inc.’s production is constrained by a limited number of hours available in each department. The director of manufacturing estimates that 630 hours for
cutting and dyeing, 600 hours for sewing, 708 hours for finishing, and 135 hours for inspection and packaging will be available for the production of golf
bags during the next three months.
• The accounting department analyzed the production data and arrived at prices for both bags that will result in a profit contribution1 of $10 for every
standard bag and $9 for every deluxe bag produced.

13
A Simple Maximization Problem
The complete model for the Par, Inc., problem is as follows:
Production Time (hours)
Department Standard Bag Deluxe Bag
Cutting and Dyeing 7/10 1
Sewing 1/2 5/6
Finishing 1 2/3
Inspection and Packaging 1/10 1/4

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A Simple Minimization Problem
M&D Chemicals produces two products that are sold as raw
materials to companies manufacturing bath soaps and
laundry detergents.
•M&D’s management specified that the combined production
for products A and B must total at least 350 gallons.
•A customer ordered 125 gallons of product A.
•Product A requires 2 hours of processing time per gallon.
•Product B requires 1 hour of processing time per gallon.
•600 hours of processing time are available.
•M&D’s objective is to satisfy these requirements at a
minimum total production cost.
•Production costs are $2 per gallon for product A and $3 per
gallon for product B.

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A Simple Minimization Problem (2
of 6)

After adding the nonnegativity constraints (A, B ≥ 0),

we arrive at the following linear program for the M&D
Chemicals problem:

16
Case-Let
The Sureset Concrete Company produces
concrete. Two ingredients in concrete are sand
(costs $6 per ton) and gravel (costs $8 per
ton). Sand and gravel together must make up
exactly 75% of the weight of the concrete.
Also, no more than 40% of the concrete can be
sand and at least 30% of the concrete be
gravel. Each day 2000 tons of concrete are
produced. To minimize costs, how many tons of
gravel and sand should be purchased each day?
 Case-Let for Practice
 The Agricultural Research institute suggested to a
farmer to spread out at least 4800 kg of a special
phosphate fertilizer and not less than 7200 kg of a
special nitrogen fertilizer to raise out productivity
of crops in his fields.There are two sources for
obtaining these-mixtures A and B.Both of these are
available in bags weighing 100 kg each and they cost
Rs 40 and Rs 24 respectively. Mixture A contains
phosphate and nitrogen equivalent of 20 kg and 80
kg respectively, while mixture B contains these
ingredients equivalent of 50 kg each.Determine how
many bags of each type the farmer should buy in
order to obtain required fertilizer at minimum cost.
 Case-Let
 Consider the following problem faced
by a production planner of a soft
drink plant.He has two bottling
machines A & B.A is designed for 8
ounce bottles and B for 16 ounces
bottles. However, each can also be
used for both types of bottles with
some loss of efficiency.The
manufacturing data is as follows:
 Machine 8-ounce Bottles 16-ounce Bottles
 A 100/min 40/min
 B 60/min 75/min
 The machines can be run for 8 hours per day, 5
days per week.The profit on an 8-ounce bottle
is 15 paise and on a 16 ounce bottle is 25
paise.Weekly production of the drink cannot
exceed 3,00,000 bottles and the market can
absorb up to 25,000,8-ounce bottles and 7000,
16 ounce bottles per week.The planner wishes
to maximize his profits, subject of course, to
all the production and marketing
restrictions.Formulate the problem as an LP
model to maximize the total profit.
Case-Let
 The Marketing Department of
Everest Company has collected
information on the problem of
advertising for its products.This
relates to the advertising media
available, the number of families
expected to be reached with each
alternative,cost per advertisement,
the maximum availability of each
medium and the expected exposure
of each one.
Advertising No. of Cost Max. Expected
Media families per availability exposure
expected ad(Rs)
to cover
TV(30 sec) 3,000 8,000 8 80

Radio(15 7,000 3,000 30 20

sec)
Sunday 5,000 4,000 4 50
edition of a
daily
(1/4 page)
Magazine 2,000 3,000 2 60
( 1 page)
 Other information and requirements:
 The advertising budget is 70,000.
 At least 40,000 families should be
covered.
 At least 2 insertions be given in
Sunday edition of a daily but not
more than 4 ads should be given on
the TV.
 Draft this as a LPP when company’s
objective is to maximize the
exposure.
Case Let for Practice
 The Manager of an oil refinery must decide
on the optimum mix of two possible
blending processes of which the input and
output production runs are as follows:
Process Input Output

Crude A Crude B Gasoline Gasoline

X Y
1 6 4 6 9

2 5 6 5 5
 The maximum amounts available of
crudes A and B are 250 units and 200
units respectively. Market demand
shows that at least 150 units of
gasoline X and 130 units of gasoline Y
must be produced.The profits per
production run from process I and
process 2 are Rs. 4 and Rs. 5
respectively.Formulate the problem
for maximizing the profit.