Topic 10

Linear programming Formulation and Graphical solution

Introdcution
Decision problems are faced by managers which involve allocation of resources to various activities with some objective. All managers have limited resources , so he has to take a decision as to how best the resources be allocated among the various activities. The decision problems can be formulated and solved as mathematical programming problems.

Linear Programming
A technique for choosing the best alternative from a set of feasible alternatives, in situations in which the objective function as well as the constraint can be expressed as linear mathematical functions. Requirements of LPP

Assumptions of LPP
The values of the variables are non-negative Constraints are linear The number of constraints is not very large The objective function is also linear

Methods of solving LPP

2 Methods used for solving LPP
GRAPHICAL METHOD SIMPLEX METHOD

GRAPHICAL METHOD
In this method, the given set of inequalities are plotted on a graph paper, and the region satisfying all the linear inequalities simultaneously is obtained. Generally the region is a convex polygon. This region is the solution of the linear inequalities.

Important terms in LPP

Limitations Objective function Solution Feasible solution Optimal feasible solutions

Uses of Linear Programming

In industry In agriculture In diet problems In war In Transportation problems In allocation of work

example
Draw the graphs of following linear inequalities and obtain the maximum value of the objective function Z=5x + 7y. x0, y0, x + y 4, 3x + 8y 24 and x and y are integers.

Example
Two types of hens are kept in a poultry farm. A type of hen costs Rs 20 each and B type of hen costs Rs 30 each. A type of hen lays 4 eggs per week and B type of hen lays 6 eggs per week. At the most 40 hens can be kept in the poultry. Not more than Rs 1050 is to be spent on the hens. How many hens of each type should be purchased to get maximum eggs?

Example
A firm is engaged in producing two products, A and B. Each unit of product A requires 2 kg of raw material and 4 labour hours of processing, whereas each unit of product B requires 3 kg of raw material and 3 hours of labour, of the same type. Every week , the firm has an availability of 60 kgs of raw materials and 96 labour hours. One unit of product A sold yields Rs 40 and one unit of product B sold gives Rs 35 as profit. Formulate this problem as LPP to determine as to how many units of each of the products should be produced per week so that the firm can earn the maximum profit. Assume that there is no marketing constraint so that all that is produced can be sold.

Example
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 productivity of crops in his fields. there are two sources of obtaining thesemixtures 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. Formulate LPP and determine how many bags of each type should the farmer buy in order to obtain the required fertilizer at minimum cost.