Introduction to Management Science

Thirteenth Edition, Global Edition

Chapter 2
Linear Programming: Model
Formulation and Graphical
Solution

Copyright © 2019 Pearson Education, Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Linear Programming: An Overview

• Objectives of business decisions frequently involve

maximizing profit or minimizing costs.
• Linear programming uses linear algebraic relationships
to represent a firm’s decisions, given a business
objective, and resource constraints.
• Steps in application:
1. Identify problem as solvable by linear programming.
2. Formulate a mathematical model of the unstructured
problem.
3. Solve the model.
Model Components

• Decision variables - mathematical symbols representing

levels of activity by the firm.
• Objective function - a linear mathematical relationship
describing an objective of the firm, in terms of decision
variables - this function is to be maximized or minimized.
• Constraints - requirements or restrictions placed on the
firm by the operating environment, stated in linear
relationships of the decision variables.
• Parameters - numerical coefficients and constants used
in the objective function and constraints.
A Maximization Model Example
LP Model Formulation 1 (1 of 3)
Resource Requirements

Labor Clay Profit

product
(Hr./Unit) (Lb./Unit) ($/Unit)
Bowl 1 4 40
Mug 2 3 50

Figure 2.1 Beaver Creek Pottery Company

• Product mix problem - Beaver Creek Pottery Company

• How many bowls and mugs should be produced to maximize
profits given labor and materials constraints?
• Product resource requirements and unit profit:
Summary of Model Formulation Steps

Step 1: Define the decision variables

How many bowls and mugs to produce?
Step 2: Define the objective function
Maximize profit
Step 3: Define the constraints
The resources (clay and labor) available
LP Model Formulation 1 (2 of 3)
Resource Availability:
40 hrs of labor per day
120 lbs of clay
Decision Variables:
x1 = number of bowls to produce per day
x2 = number of mugs to produce per day
Objective Function:
Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2
Where Z = profit per day
Resource Constraints:
1x1  2x2  40 hours of labor
4 x1 + 3 x2  120 pounds of clay
Non-Negativity Constraints:
x1  0; x2  0
LP Model Formulation 1 (3 of 3)

Complete Linear Programming Model:

Maximize Z = $40 x + $50 x
1 2

subject to: 1x1 + 2 x2  40

4 x21 + 3 x2  120
x1, x2  0
Feasible Solutions

A feasible solution does not violate any of the constraints:

Example: x1  5 bowls
x2  10 mugs
Z  $40 x1  $50 x2  $700
Labor constraint check: 1 5  + 2 10  = 25  40 hours
Clay constraint check: 4  5  + 3 10  = 70  120 pounds
Infeasible Solutions

An infeasible solution violates at least one of the

constraints:
Example: x1  10 bowls
x2  20 mugs
Z  $40 x1  $50 x2  $1400

Labor constraint check: 110   2  20   50  40 hours

Graphical Solution of LP Models

• Graphical solution is limited to linear programming

models containing only two decision variables (can be
used with three variables but only with great difficulty).
• Graphical methods provide a picture of how a solution
for a linear programming problem is obtained.
Coordinate Axes

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50 x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2 x2  40
4 x21 + 3 x2  120
x1, x2  0

Figure 2.2 Coordinates for graphical analysis

Labor Constraint

Figure 2.3 Graph of labor constraint

Labor Constraint Area

Figure 2.4 Labor constraint area

Clay Constraint Area

Figure 2.5 The constraint area for clay

Both Constraints

Figure 2.6 Graph of both model constraints

Feasible Solution Area

Figure 2.7 The feasible solution area constraints

Objective Function Solution Z= $800

Figure 2.8 Objective function line for Z = $800

Alternative Objective Function Solution
Lines
Figure 2.9 Alternative objective function lines for profits, Z,
of $800, $1,200, and $1,600
Optimal Solution

The optimal solution

point is the last point
the objective function
touches as it leaves the
feasible solution area.

Figure 2.10 Identification of optimal solution point

Optimal Solution Coordinates

Figure 2.11 Optimal solution coordinates

Extreme (Corner) Point Solutions

Figure 2.12 Solutions at all corner points

Optimal Solution for New Objective
Function

Maximize Z = $70 x1 + $20 x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2 x2  40
4 x21 + 3 x2  120
x1, x2  0

Figure 2.13 Optimal solution with Z  70 x1  20 x2

Slack Variables

• Standard form requires that all constraints be in the form

of equations (equalities).
• A slack variable is added to a  constraint (weak
inequality) to convert it to an equation (=).
• A slack variable typically represents an unused
resource.
• A slack variable contributes nothing to the objective
function value.
Linear Programming Model: Standard
Form

Max Z = 40X1+ 50X2+ 0S1+ 0S2

subject to: 1x1  2x2  s1  40
4 x21  3 x2  s2  120
x1, x2 , s1, s2  0

Where:
x1 = number of bowls
x2 = number of mugs
s1, s2 are slack variables
Figure 2.14 Solutions at points A, B, and C
with slack
A Minimization Model Example
LP Model Formulation 2 (1 of 2)
• Two brands of fertilizer Figure 2.15 Fertilizing farmer’s field
available – Super-gro,
Crop-quick.
• Field requires at least 16
pounds of nitrogen and 24
pounds of phosphate.
• Super-gro costs $6 per bag,
Crop-quick $3 per bag.
• Problem: How much of
Chemical Contribution
each brand to purchase to
minimize total cost of Brand Nitrogen Phosphate
fertilizer given following (lb./bag) (lb./bag)
data ? Super-gro 2 4
Crop-quick 4 3
LP Model Formulation 2 (2 of 2)
Decision Variables:
x1 = bags of Super-gro
x2 = bags of Crop-quick
The Objective Function:
Minimize Z = $6x1 + 3x2
Where: $6x1 = cost of bags of Super-Gro
$3x2 = cost of bags of Crop-Quick
Model Constraints:
2 x1  4 x2  16 lb  nitrogen constraint 
4 x1  3 x2  24 lb phosphate constraint 
x1, x2  0  non - negativity constraint 
Constraint Graph

Minimize Z = $6 x1 + $3 x2
subject to: 2 x1 + 4 x2  16
4 x12 + 3 x2  24
x1, x2  0

Figure 2.16 Constraint lines for fertilizer model

Feasible Region

Figure 2.17 Feasible solution area

Optimal Solution Point

The optimal solution of a

minimization problem is
at the extreme point
closest to the origin.

Figure 2.18 The optimal solution point

Surplus Variables

• A surplus variable is subtracted from a  constraint to

convert it to an equation (=).
• A surplus variable represents an excess above a
constraint requirement level.
• A surplus variable contributes nothing to the calculated
value of the objective function.
• Subtracting surplus variables in the farmer problem
constraints:
2 x1  4 x2  s1  16 nitrogen 
4 x1  3 x2  s2  24 phosphate 
Graphical Solutions

Minimize Z  $6 x1  $3 x2  0s1  0s2

subject to: 2 x1  4 x2 – s1  16
4 x12  3 x2 – s2  24
x1, x2 , s1, s2  0

Figure 2.19 Graph of the fertilizer example

 Irregular Types of Linear Programming
Problems

For some linear programming models, the general rules do

not apply.
Special types of problems include those with:
• Multiple optimal solutions
• Infeasible solutions
• Unbounded solutions
Multiple Optimal Solutions Beaver Creek
Pottery

The objective function is

parallel to a constraint line.
Maximize Z  $40 x1  30 x2
subject to: 1x1  2 x2  40
4 x12  3 x2  120
x1, x2  0

Where:
x1 = number of bowls Figure 2.20 Graph of the Beaver Creek
x2 = number of mugs Pottery example with multiple optimal
solutions
An Infeasible Problem

Every possible solution

violates at least one
constraint:
Maximize Z  5x1  3x2
subject to: 4 x1  2 x2  8
x1  4
x2  6
x1, x2  0

Figure 2.21 Graph of an infeasible problem

An Unbounded Problem

Value of the objective

function increases
indefinitely:
Maximize Z  4x1  2x2
subject to: x1  4
x2  2
x1, x2  0

Figure 2.22 Graph of an unbounded problem

Characteristics of Linear Programming
Problems

• A decision among alternative courses of action is

required.
• The decision is represented in the model by decision
variables.
• The problem encompasses a goal, expressed as an
objective function, that the decision maker wants to
achieve.
• Restrictions (represented by constraints) exist that limit
the extent of achievement of the objective.
• The objective and constraints must be definable by linear
mathematical functional relationships.
Properties of Linear Programming Models

• Proportionality - The rate of change (slope) of the

objective function and constraint equations is constant.
• Additivity - Terms in the objective function and
constraint equations must be additive.
• Divisibility - Decision variables can take on any
fractional value and are therefore continuous as opposed
to integer in nature.
• Certainty - Values of all the model parameters are
assumed to be known with certainty (non-probabilistic).
Problem Statement: Example Problem No. 1
Moore’s Meat Company produces a hot dog mixture in 1,000-
pound batches, The mixture contains two ingredients chicken
and beef. The cost per pound of each of these ingredients is as
follow:
Ingredient Cost/lb.
Chicken $3
Beef $5

Each batch has the following recipe requirements:

a. At least 500 pounds of chicken.
b. At least 200 pounds of beef.
The ratio of chicken to beef must be at least 2 to 1. The
company wants to know the optimal mixture of ingredients that
will minimize cost. Formulate a LP model to solve the problem?
Solution: Example Problem No. 1 (1 of 2)
Solution: Example Problem No. 1 (2 of 2)
Example Problem No. 2 (1 of 3)

Solve the following model graphically:

Maximize Z  4x1  5x2

subject to: x1  2 x2  10
6 x1  6 x2  36
x1  4
x1, x2  0
Example Problem No. 2 (2 of 3)
Example Problem No. 2 (3 of 3)