QMT437 Operations Research

Pn. Paezah

Topic 3: Linear Programming Part 2


Outline
Solving LP Problems by the Graphical Method
Isoprofit/Isocost Method
Corner Point Method


Learning Outcomes
At the end of the class, you will learn how to solve LP problems in two decision variables by
graphing


Graphical Solution (for LP problems in 2 variables)

LP problems in two variables can be solved by the graphical method. The graphical procedure
includes two main steps:
Step 1: Determination of the feasible region.
- Prepare a graph of the feasible solutions for each of the LP model constraints.
The solution set of the system is that region (or set of ordered pairs), which
satisfies ALL the constraints. This region is called the area of feasible solution
or feasible region.

Step 2: Determination of the optimum solution from all feasible points in the solution
space using one the following methods:

Method A: Isoprofit /Isocost Line Method
( isoprofit line method for maximization problems, or
isocost line method for minimization problems)
Method B: Corner (extreme) point method

Method A: Isoprofit/isocost line method
Draw objective function lines.

Determine the optimum point.
For maximization problems:
Move parallel objective function lines toward larger objective function values
without entirely leaving the feasible region.

For minimization problems:
Move parallel objective function lines toward smaller objective function
values without entirely leaving the feasible region.

The last feasible point touched by the objective function line before it leaves
the feasible region is the optimum point.



1



Objective Function Line
y
Feasible
Region





Optimum point




x




Method B: Corner Point Method
The corners or vertices of the feasible region are referred to as the extreme points.
An optimal solution to an LP problem can be found at an extreme point of the feasible region.
When looking for the optimal solution, you do not have to evaluate all feasible solution points.
You have to consider only the extreme points of the feasible region.

Locate all the corner points of the feasible region.
- The coordinates of the corners can be determined algebraically.

- It is important to note that the optimal point is obtained at the boundary of the
feasible region and furthermore at the corner points.

- For linear programs, it can be shown that the optimal point will always be obtained at
corner points.

Determine the optimal value.
- Test all the corner points to see which one yields the optimum value for the objective
function.

Solving Maximization Problems

Example 1:
Two products, X and Y, are to be manufactured by Kilang XY. One single unit of product X
requires 2.4 minutes of punch press time and 5 minutes of assembly time. The profit for product
X is RM0.60 per unit. One single unit of product Y requires 3 minutes of press time and 2.5
minutes of welding time. The profit for product Y is RM0.70 per unit. The capacity of the punch
press department for these products is 1,200 minutes per week. The welding department has an
idle capacity of 600 minutes per week and assembly department has 1,500 minutes per week.

a) Determine the quantity of X and Y to maximize profit.

b) Determine the quantity of each resource used at the optimal production level. Identify all
resources that are fully utilized.


2
Solving Minimization Problems

Example 2: (Diet Problem)

A dietician wants to use supplement I and supplement II to supply certain requirements of vitamin
B, C, and E. The data for the amount of the vitamins are given in the following table:

Vitamins Supplement I Supplement II Minimum Requirement
B 30 units per g 20 units per g 120 units
C 40 units per g 10 units per g 160 units
E 20 units per g 40 units per g 100 units
Cost RM0.40 per g RM0.60 per g


Let X
1
= grams of supplement I
X
2
= grams of supplement II


a) Formulate a linear programming model for this problem.
b) Determine the optimal solution by the graphical procedure. What is the lowest cost that meets
the minimum requirements for the vitamins?



Exercises: Graphical Solution

1. ABC, Inc. produces two types of chandelier: Design 1 & Design 2. The critical resources are
available labor hours, crystals and switches for the next production cycle. The following table
outlines usage factors and unit profit:

Design 1 Design 2
Switch 1 1
Labor 9 hours 6 hours
Crystal 12 pieces 16 pieces
Unit Profit RM350 RM300

There are 200 switches, 1566 hours of labor, and 2880 pieces of crystals available.

a) Determine the optimal weekly production schedule. What is the maximum total profit per
week?
b) What is the usage of each resource at the optimal production level? How many units are
unused?


2. Solve graphically:






a) Maximize z = 5x
1
+ 7x
2


s.t. x
1
< 6
2x
1
+ 3x
2
< 19
x
1
+ x
2
< 8
x
1
, x
2
> 0
b) Minimize z = 5x
1
+ 2x
2


s.t. 2x
1
+ 5x
2
> 10
4x
1
- x
2
> 12
x
1
+ x
2
> 4
x
1
, x
2
> 0

c) Minimize Z = 6X
1
+ 8X
2

3
4
subject to:
4X
2
60
0.3X
1
+ 0.2X
2
9
3X
1
- X
2
0
X
1
, X
2
0

3. A logistics company is planning to lease a fleet of trucks to satisfy the needs over the
coming year. Two types of truck are being considered; truck X, and truck Y. Each truck X
costs RM32,000 to lease for the year, has daily capacity of 16 cubic meters and is
estimated to have yearly maintenance cost of RM2,000. A Y-truck costs RM20,000 to
lease a year, has a daily capacity of 8 cubic meters and is estimated to have yearly
maintenance cost of RM2,400.

Each truck requires one driver and the company has 40 qualified drivers. An agreement
with the drivers union stipulates that the number of truck Y must not be less than half the
number of truck X.

It is estimated that the total capacity of the fleet must be at least 400 cubic meters daily. A
budget of RM96,000 has been allocated for the maintenance of the truck for the year.
a) Formulate a linear programming problem to determine the policy that minimizes total
leasing cost over the year. What is the optimal solution?

b) Suppose the drivers union stipulates that all drivers must be hired. Reformulate the
problem. What is the optimal solution?




4. As a supervisor of a production department, you must decide the daily production totals of a
product that has two models, the deluxe and standard. The profit on the deluxe model is
RM12 per unit and the standards profit is RM10 per unit. Each model goes through two
phases in the production process: construction, and finishing. There are only 100-man hours
available daily on the construction stage, and only 80 hours available on the finishing stage.
Each deluxe model requires 20 minutes of construction and 10 minutes of finishing times.
Each standard model requires 15 minutes of construction and 15 minutes of finishing. The
company decided that the standard model must comprise at least 40% of the production total.
i) Formulate the linear programming model for the above problem.
ii) Determine the optimal solution using the graphical method.
iii) At the optimal production level, how many hours of construction time, and finishing
time are unused?