Linear Programming Models: Graphical and Computer Methods
7
To accompany Quantitative Analysis for Management, Twelfth Edition,
by Render, Stair, Hanna and Hale
Power Point slides created by Jeff Heyl
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After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Understand the basic assumptions and properties of linear programming (LP).
Graphically solve any LP problem that has only two variables by both the corner point and isoprofit line methods.
Understand special issues in LP such as infeasibility, unboundedness, redundancy, and alternative optimal solutions.
Understand the role of sensitivity analysis.
Use Excel spreadsheets to solve LP problems.
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7.1 Introduction
7.2 Requirements of a Linear Programming Problem
7.3 Formulating LP Problems
7.4 Graphical Solution to an LP Problem
7.5 Solving Flair Furniture’s LP Problem using QM for Windows, Excel 2013, and Excel QM
7.6 Solving Minimization Problems
7.7 Four Special Cases in LP
7.8 Sensitivity Analysis
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction
Many management decisions involve making the most effective use of limited resources
Linear programming (LP)
Widely used mathematical modeling technique
Planning and decision making relative to resource allocation
Broader field of mathematical programming
Here programming refers to modeling and solving a problem mathematically
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Requirements of a Linear Programming Problem
Four properties in common
Seek to maximize or minimize some quantity (the objective function)
Restrictions or constraints are present
Alternative courses of action are available
Linear equations or inequalities
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LP Properties and Assumptions
PROPERTIES OF LINEAR PROGRAMS
1. One objective function
2. One or more constraints
3. Alternative courses of action
4. Objective function and constraints are linear – proportionality and divisibility
5. Certainty
6. Divisibility
7. Nonnegative variables
TABLE 7.1
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Formulating LP Problems
Developing a mathematical model to represent the managerial problem
Steps in formulating a LP problem
Completely understand the managerial problem being faced
Identify the objective and the constraints
Define the decision variables
Use the decision variables to write mathematical expressions for the objective function and the constraints
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Formulating LP Problems
Common LP application – product mix problem
Two or more products are produced using limited resources
Maximize profit based on the profit contribution per unit of each product
Determine how many units of each product to produce
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Flair Furniture Company
Flair Furniture produces inexpensive tables and chairs
Processes are similar, both require carpentry work and painting and varnishing
Each table takes 4 hours of carpentry and 2 hours of painting and varnishing
Each chair requires 3 of carpentry and 1 hour of painting and varnishing
There are 240 hours of carpentry time available and 100 hours of painting and varnishing
Each table yields a profit of $70 and each chair a profit of $50
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Flair Furniture Company
The company wants to determine the best combination of tables and chairs to produce to reach the maximum profit
HOURS REQUIRED TO PRODUCE 1 UNIT
DEPARTMENT (T) TABLES (C) CHAIRS AVAILABLE HOURS THIS WEEK
Carpentry 4 3 240
Painting and varnishing 2 1 100
Profit per unit $70 $50
TABLE 7.2
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Flair Furniture Company
The objective is
Maximize profit
The constraints are
The hours of carpentry time used cannot exceed 240 hours per week
The hours of painting and varnishing time used cannot exceed 100 hours per week
The decision variables are
T = number of tables to be produced per week
C = number of chairs to be produced per week
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Flair Furniture Company
Create objective function in terms of T and C
Maximize profit = $70T + $50C
Develop mathematical relationships for the two constraints
For carpentry, total time used is
(4 hours per table)(Number of tables produced) + (3 hours per chair)(Number of chairs produced)
First constraint is
Carpentry time used ≤ Carpentry time available
4T + 3C ≤ 240 (hours of carpentry time)
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Flair Furniture Company
Similarly
Painting and varnishing time used ≤ Painting and varnishing time available
2 T + 1C ≤ 100 (hours of painting and varnishing time)
This means that each table produced requires two hours of painting and varnishing time
Both of these constraints restrict production capacity and affect total profit
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Flair Furniture Company
The values for T and C must be nonnegative
T ≥ 0 (number of tables produced is greater than or equal to 0)
C ≥ 0 (number of chairs produced is greater than or equal to 0)
The complete problem stated mathematically
Maximize profit = $70T + $50C
subject to
4T + 3C ≤ 240 (carpentry constraint)
2T + 1C ≤ 100 (painting and varnishing constraint)
T, C ≥ 0 (nonnegativity constraint)
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Graphical Solution to an LP Problem
Easiest way to solve a small LP problems is graphically
Only works when there are just two decision variables
Not possible to plot a solution for more than two variables
Provides valuable insight into how other approaches work
Nonnegativity constraints mean that we are always working in the first (or northeast) quadrant of a graph
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Graphical Representation of Constraints
100 –
–
80 –
–
60 –
–
40 –
–
20 –
–
C
| | | | | | | | | | | |
0 20 40 60 80 100
T
Number of Chairs
Number of Tables
This Axis Represents the Constraint T ≥ 0
This Axis Represents the Constraint C ≥ 0
FIGURE 7.1 – Quadrant Containing All Positive Values
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Graphical Representation of Constraints
The first step is to identify a set or region of feasible solutions
Plot each constraint equation on a graph
Graph the equality portion of the constraint equations
4T + 3C = 240
Solve for the axis intercepts and draw the line
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Graphical Representation of Constraints
When Flair produces no tables, the carpentry constraint is:
4(0) + 3C = 240
3C = 240
C = 80
Similarly for no chairs:
4T + 3(0) = 240