ASSIGNMENT

PROBLEM
Introduction
An assignment problem is a particular case of a
transportation problem where the resources (say facilities)
are assignees, and the destinations are activities (say jobs).
Given m resources (or facilities) and n activities (or jobs),
with effectiveness (in terms of cost, profit, time, etc.) of
each resource for each activity. Then problem becomes to
assign (or allocate) each resource to only one activity (job)
and vice-versa so that the given measure of effectiveness is
optimize.
Real life scenario
For example, the head of the department may have 6
people available for assignment and 6 jobs to fill. Here the
head may like to know which job should be assigned to
which person so that all tasks can be accomplished in the
shortest time possible.
OR
The jobs should be assigned in a way that the head
has to pay to 6 persons. Although the efficiency and
capacity is different on each job.
Transportation VS Assignment
A special class of transportation problem which:
1. The supply and demand are equal. ( “=“ ).
2. Each decision variable is a binary decision variable
3. All the constraints are in form of equations with equal
sign ( = )
Assignment Problem

One-to-one assignment

Means

One person will be assigned exactly one job

and
One job will be executed by exactly one person
Balanced Assignment Problem
If the number of jobs is equal to the number
of persons (matrix is square) then assignment
problem is said to be balanced.
Otherwise, UNBALANCED
A B C D

I  t IA t IB  t IC t ID 

II t IIA t IIB t IIC  

III t IIIA t IIIB  

IV t IVA t IVB  
Assignment Problem Methodology
Step 1: Develop the cost matrix from the given problem If
the number of rows is not equal to the number of columns,
then add the required number of dummy rows or columns.
The cost element in dummy rows/columns is always zero.
Step 2: Find the opportunity cost matrix
(a) Identify the smallest element in each row of the cost
matrix and then subtract it from each element of that row,
and
(b) In the reduced matrix obtained from 2(a), identify
the smallest element in each column and then subtract it
from each element of that column. Each row and column
now have at least one zero elements.
Assignment Problem Methodology
Step 3: Make assignments in the opportunity cost matrix
The procedure of making assignments is as follows:
(a) First round for making assignments
1. Identify rows successively from top to bottom until a
row with exactly one zero elements is found. Make an
assignment to this single zero by making a square
around it. Then cross off (×) all other zeros in the
corresponding column.
2. Identify columns successively from left to right hand
with exactly one zero elements that has not been
assigned. Make an assignment to this single zero by
making a square around it and then cross off (×) all
other zero elements in the corresponding row.
Assignment Problem Methodology
(b) Second round for making assignments
• If a row and/or column has two or more unmarked
zeros and one cannot be chosen by inspection, then choose
a zero element arbitrarily for assignment.
• Repeat steps (a) and (b) successively until one of the
following situations arise.
Step 4: Optimality criterion
(a) If all zero elements in the cost matrix are either marked
with a square (… ) or are crossed off (×) and there is
precisely one assignment in each row and column, then it is
an optimal solution. The total cost associated with this
solution is obtained by adding the original cost elements in
the occupied cells.
Assignment Problem Methodology
(b) If a zero element in a row or column was chosen
arbitrarily for assignment in Step 4(a), there exists an
alternative optimal solution.
(c) If there is no assignment in a row (or column), then this
implies that the total number of assignments is less than the
number of rows/columns in the square matrix. In such a
situation proceed to Step 5.
Assignment Problem Methodology
Step 5. Revise the opportunity cost matrix Draw a set of
horizontal and vertical lines to cover all the zeros in the
revised cost matrix obtained from Step 3,
If the number of lines drawn (or total assignments) is equal
to the number of rows (or columns), the current solution is
the optimal solution, otherwise, go to Step 6.
Step 6: Develop the new revised opportunity cost matrix
(a) Among the elements in the matrix not covered by any
line, choose the smallest element. Call this value k.
(b) Subtract k from every element in the matrix that is not
covered by a line.
(c) Add k to every element in the matrix covered by the two
lines, i.e. intersection of two lines.
Assignment Problem Methodology
c) Value K should be added to all those elements that lies on
the intersecting lines on the matrix.
d) Elements in the matrix covered by one line remain
unchanged.
Step 7: Repeat Steps 3 to 6 until an optimal solution is
obtained
Example 1
Row Minimization:
A B C D E A B C D E
I 5 5 13 15 16 I 0 0 8 10 11
II 3 9 18 13 6 II 0 6 15 10 3
III 10 7 2 2 2 III 8 5 0 0 0
IV 7 11 9 7 12 IV 0 4 2 0 5
V 7 9 10 4 12 V 3 5 6 0 8
Column Minimization: Make Assignments

A B C D E A B C D E
I 0 0 8 10 11 I 5 0 8 10 11
II 0 6 15 10 3 II 0 6 15 10 3
III 8 5 0 0 0 III 8 5 0 0 0
IV 0 4 2 0 5 IV 0 4 2 0 5
V 3 5 6 0 8 V 3 5 6 0 8
 Example 1
Revise the Matrix: Develop New Matrix:
A B C D E A B C D E
I 0 0 8 10 11 I 2 0 8 12 11
II 0 6 15 10 3 II 0 4 13 10 1
III 8 5 0 0 0 III 10 5 0 2 0
IV 0 4 2 0 5 IV 0 2 0 0 3
V 3 5 6 0 8 V 3 3 4 0 6
Make Assignments: Compute the Optimum Solution:

A B C D E
IB=5
I 2 0 8 12 11
II A = 3
II 0 4 13 10 1
III E = 2 Min C = 23
III 10 5 0 2 0
IV C = 9
IV 0 2 0 0 3
V 3 3 4 0 6 VD=4
Example 2:
Row Minimization:
P Q R S T P Q R S T
A 85 75 65 125 75 A 20 10 0 60 10
B 90 78 66 132 78 B 24 12 0 66 12
C 75 66 57 114 69 C 18 9 0 57 12
D 80 72 60 120 72 D 20 12 0 60 12
EColumn
76 64Minimization
56 112 68 E Make
20 Assignments:
8 0 56 12

P Q R S T P Q R S T
A 2 2 0 4 0 A 2 2 0 4 0
B 6 4 0 10 2 B 6 4 0 10 2
C 0 1 0 1 2 C 0 1 0 1 2
D 2 4 0 4 2 D 2 4 0 4 2
E 2 0 0 0 2 E 2 0 0 0 2
Revise the Matrix: Develop New Matrix:
P Q R S T P Q R S T
A 2 2 0 4 0 A 2 2 2 4 0
B 6 4 0 10 2 B 4 2 0 8 0
C 0 1 0 1 2 C 0 1 2 1 2
D 2 4 0 4 2 D 0 2 0 2 0
E 2 0 0 0 2 E 2 0 2 0 2
Make Assignments: Revise the Matrix

P Q R S T P Q R S T
A 2 2 2 4 0 A 2 2 2 4 0
B 4 2 0 8 0 B 4 2 0 8 0
C 0 1 2 1 2 C 0 1 2 1 2
D 0 2 0 2 0 D 0 2 0 2 0
E 2 0 2 0 2 E 2 0 2 0 2
 Develop New Matrix: Make Assignments (Choose Arbitrarily):
P Q R S T P Q R S T
A 2 1 2 3 0 A 2 1 2 3 0
B 4 1 0 7 0 B 4 1 0 7 0
C 0 0 2 0 2 C 0 0 2 0 2
D 0 1 0 1 0 D 0 1 0 1 0
E 3 0 3 0 3 E 3 0 3 0 3
Compute the Optimum Solution:
AT = 75
BR = 66
CQ = 66 Total Cost = 399
DP = 80
ES = 112
Example 3: Unbalanced
Add Dummy

P Q R S P Q R S
A 15 21 25 29
A 15 21 25 29
B 5 10 14 16
B 5 10 14 16 C 7 12 15 13
C 7 12 15 13 D 0 0 0 0

Row Minimization: Column Minimization

P Q R S P Q R S
A 0 6 10 14 A 0 6 10 14
B 0 5 9 11 B 0 5 9 11
C 0 5 8 6 C 0 5 8 6
D 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0
Example 3: Unbalanced
Make Assignments Revise the Matrix
P Q R S P Q R S
A 0 6 10 14 A 0 6 10 14

B 0 5 9 11 B 0 5 9 11

C 0 5 8 6 C 0 5 8 6

D 0 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0

Develop New Matrix Make Assignments:

P Q R S P Q R S
A 0 1 5 9 A 0 1 5 9
B 0 0 4 6 B 0 0 4 6
C 0 0 3 1 C 0 0 3 1
D 5 0 0 0 D 5 0 0 0
Example 3: Unbalanced
Revise the Matrix Develop New Matrix
P Q R S P Q R S
A 0 1 5 9 A 0 1 4 8
B 0 0 4 6 B 0 0 3 5
C 0 0 3 1 C 0 0 2 0
D 5 0 0 0 D 6 1 0 0

Make Assignments: Compute the Optimum Solution

P Q R S
A 0 1 4 8 A P = 15
B 0 0 3 5 B Q = 10 Min C = 38
C 0 0 2 0 C S = 13
D 6 1 0 0
Example 4: Maximization
Convert to Minimization

A B C D A B C D
I 42 35 28 21 I 0 7 14 21
II 30 25 20 15 II 12 17 22 27
III 30 25 20 15 III 12 17 22 27
IV 24 20 16 12 IV 18 22 26 30

Row Minimization: Column Minimization

A B C D A B C D
I 0 7 14 21 I 0 3 6 9
II 0 5 10 15 II 0 1 2 3
III 0 5 10 15 III 0 1 2 3
IV 0 4 8 12 IV 0 0 0 0
Example 4: Maximization
Make the Assignments: Revise the Matrix

A B C D A B C D
I 0 3 6 9 I 0 3 6 9
II 0 1 2 3 II 0 1 2 3
III 0 1 2 3 III 0 1 2 3
IV 0 0 0 0 IV 0 0 0 0
Develop New Matrix: Make the Assignments:

A B C D A B C D
I 0 2 5 8 I 0 2 5 8
II 0 0 1 2 II 0 0 1 2
III 0 0 1 2 III 0 0 1 2
IV 1 0 0 0 IV 1 0 0 0
Example 4: Maximization
Revise the Matrix: Develop New Matrix

A B C D A B C D
I 0 2 5 8 I 0 2 4 7
II 0 0 1 2 II 0 0 0 1
III 0 0 1 2 III 0 0 0 1
IV 1 0 0 0 IV 2 1 0 0
Make the Assignments Compute the Optimum Solution:
(Choose Arbitrarily):
A B C D
I A = 42
I 0 2 4 7
II 0 0 0 1 II C = 20

III 0 0 0 1 III B = 25 Max P = 99

IV 2 1 0 0 V D = 12
Thank You