No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, or otherwise without the prior permission of the author.

GATE SOLVED PAPER

Mathematics
Linear Programming

Copyright © By NODIA & COMPANY

Information contained in this book has been obtained by authors, from sources believes to be reliable. However,
neither Nodia nor its authors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, and Nodia nor its
authors shall be responsible for any error, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information. This book
is published with the understanding that Nodia and its authors are supplying information but are not attempting
to render engineering or other professional services.

NODIA AND COMPANY

B-8, Dhanshree Tower Ist, Central Spine, Vidyadhar Nagar, Jaipur 302039
Ph : +91 - 141 - 2101150
www.nodia.co.in
email : enquiry@nodia.co.in
 GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA
LINEAR PROGRAMMING

YEAR 2005 ONE MARK

Q. 1 Consider the following Linear programming Problem (LPP)

Minimize z = 2x1 + 3x2 + x 3
subject to x1 + 2x2 + 2x 3 − x 4 + x5 = 3
2x1 + 3x2 + 4x 3 + x6 = 6
xi $ 0 , i = 1, 2, ..., 6

Y
A nondegenerate basic feasible solution ^x1, x2, x 3, x 4, x5, x 6h is
(A) ^1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0h (B) ^1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 7h
(C) ^0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 6h
N
(D) ^3, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0h

Q. 2

PA
The unit cost cij of producing product i at plant j is given by the matrix
J14 12 16N

M
K O

O
K21 9 17O
K9 7 5O

C
L P
The total cost of optimal assignment is

&
(A) 20 (B) 22
(C) 25 (D) 28

IA
D
YEAR 2005 TWO MARKS

Q. 3

O
Consider the following primal Linear Programming Problem (LPP).

N
Maximize z = 3x1 + 2x2
Subject to x1 − x 2 # 1

©
x1 + x 2 $ 3
x1, x2 $ 0
The dual of this problem has
(A) Infeasible optimal solution
(B) Unbounded optimal objective value
(C) A unique optimal solution
(D) Infinitely many optimal solutions

Q. 4 The cost matrix of a Transportation Problem is given by

6 4 1 5
8 9 2 7
4 3 6 2
The following value of the basic variables were obtained at the first iteration :
x11 = 6 , x12 = 8 , x22 = 2 , x23 = 14 , x 33 = 1, x 34 = 4 .
Then :
(A) The current solution is optimal
(B) The current solution is non-optimal and the entering and leaving variables
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

are x 31 and x 33 respectively

(C) The current solution is nonoptimal and the entering and leaving variables are
x21 and x12 respectively
(D) The current solution is nonoptimal and the entering and leaving variables are
x14 and x12 respectively

Q. 5 In a balanced transportation problem, if all the unit transportation costs cij are
decreased by a non-zero constant α , then in the optimal solution of the revised
problem
(A) The values of the decision variables and the objective value remains unchanged
(B) The values of the decision variables change but the objective value remains

Y
unchanged

N
(C) The values of the decision variables remain unchanged but the objective

PA
value changes
(D) The values of the decision variables and the objective value changes

M
Q. 6 Consider the following Linear Programming Problem (LPP).

O
Maximize z = 3x1 + x2
subject to x1 + 2x2 # 5
x1 + x 2 − x 3 # 2
C
&
7x1 + 3x2 − 5x 3 # 20
x1, x2, x 3 $ 0

IA
The nature of the optimal solution to the problem is
(A) Nondegenerate alternative optima

D
(B) Degenerate alternative optima

O
(C) Degenerate unique optimal

N
(D) Nondegenerate unique optimal

Q. 7
©
YEAR 2004

If the cost matrix for an assignment problem is given by

ONE MARK

Ja b c d N
K O
Kb c d a O
Kc d a b O
KK O
d a b cO
L P
where a, b, c, d > 0 , then the value of the assignment problem is
(A) a + b + c + d (B) min "a, b, c, d ,
(C) max "a, b, c, d , (D) 4 min "a, b, c, d ,

YEAR 2004 TWO MARKS

Q. 8 Consider the Linear Programming Problem (LPP):

Maximize x1 ,
subject to : 3x1 + 4x2 # 10
5x1 − x2 # 9
3x1 − 2x2 $ − 2
x1 − 3x2 # 3
x1, x2 $ 0
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

The value of the LPP is

(A) 9 (B) 2
5
(C) 3 (D) 10
3

YEAR 2003 ONE MARK

Q. 9 Suppose that the linear programming problemP :

Min z = c1 x s.t. Ax $ b , x $ 0 , where A is an m # n matrix, c an n # 1 vector
and b an m # 1 vector, is being solved by the Dual Simplex Algorithm. Then
(A) The value of the primal objective function increases at every iteration
(B) The algorithm will always terminate with an optimal solution for the dual
(C) The algorithm will always terminate with an optimal solution to the primal

Y
(D) It is not always possible to obtain a starting basis for this algorithm

N
Consider the transportation problem given below. The bracketed elements in the

A
Q. 10
table indicate a feasible solution and the elements on the left hand corner are the
costs cif :
P
fig fig (Oswal, Pg-94, Q-5)
M
O
C
(A) This solution is an basic feasible solution
(B) This solution can be made basic feasible

&
(C) This is an optimal solution

IA
(D) The problem does not have an optimal solution

YEAR 2003
D TWO MARKS

Q. 11
O
Consider the linear programming problem P1 : min z = c'x s.t. Ax = b , x $ 0 ,

N
where A is an m # n matrix, m # n, c and x are n # 1 vectors and b an m # 1
vector. Let K denote the set of feasible solution for P1. Then

©
(A) The number of positive x j ’s in any feasible solution of P1 can never exceed
m , and if it is less than m , the feasible solution is a degenerate basic feasible
solution
(B) Every feasible solution of P1 in which m variables are positive is a basic
feasible solution and n Cm is the total number of basic feasible solutions
(C) In solving P1 by the simplex algorithm a new basis and a new extreme point
of the constraint set are generated after every pivot step
(D) K is a convex set and if the value of the objective function at an extreme
point x* of K is better than its values at all the neighbouring extreme points,
then x* is an optimal solution of P1

Q. 12 Simplex tableau for phase I of the simplex algorithm for a linear programming
problem is given below ( x 3, x 4, x5 are artificial variables)
Basic x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 RHS
Z j − CJ 0 0 –2 –2 0 0
x1 1 0 3/5 1/5 0 2
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

x2 0 1 – 2/5 1/5 0 0
x5 0 0 –1 –1 1 0
Choose the correct statement
(A) The tableau does not show the end of phase I, since, the artificial x5 is in the
basis
(B) The tableau does show the end of phase I since, the value of the phase I
objective function is zero
(C) The constraints for the original linear programming problem are not redundant
(D) The original linear programming problem does not have a feasible solution

Consider the linear programming formulation ^P2h of optimally assigning n men

Y
Q. 13

to n jobs with respect to some costs "cij ,ij = 1n . Let A denote the coefficient
matrix of the constraint set. Then
N
PA
(A) Rank of A is 2n − 1 and every basic feasible solution of P2 is integer valued
(B) Rank of A is 2n − 1 and every basic feasible solution of P2 is not integer

M
valued

O
(C) Rank of A is 2n and every basic feasible solution of P2 is integer valued

C
(D) Rank of A is 2n and every basic feasible solution of P2 is not integer valued

Q. 14 Given below is the final tableau of a linear programming problem (x 4 and x5 are
slack variables)
&
IA
Basic x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 RHS
Z j − CJ 0 0 3 5 1 8
x1 1
D 0 1 4 –1 2
x2
O 0 1 2 –1 1 3

N
1 1+θ
If the right hand side vector f p of the problem get changed to f p, then the

©
3 3
current basic feasible solution is optimal for
(A) All θ # 2 (B) All θ $ − 1
4
(C) All θ d :− 1 , 2D (D) No non-zero value of θ
2

YEAR 2002 ONE MARK

Q. 15 Let x be a non-optimal feasible solution of a linear programming maximization

problem any y a dual feasible solution. Then
(A) The primal objective value at x is greater than the dual objective value at y
(B) The primal objective value at x could equal the dual objective value at y
(C) The primal objective value at x is less than the dual objective value at y
(D) The duel could be unbounded

YEAR 2002 TWO MARKS

Q. 16 The system Ax # 0 , where A is an n # n matrix,

(A) May not have a non-zero solution
(B) Always has a non-zero solution
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

(C) Always has at least 2 linearly independent solution

(D) Always has at least n linearly independent solution

Q. 17 Consider the following linear program

n
P : Max /c x j j subject to
j=1
n
/a ij x j # bi , 1 # i # m and x j $ 0 , 1 # j # n
j=1

Suppose that we are keeping the c j ’s and aij ’s fixed and varying the bi ’s. Suppose
that P is unbounded for some set of the parameter values bi . Then, for every
choice of bi ’s
(A) P is unbounded or infeasible
(B) P is unbounded

Y
(C) The dual problem to P has a finite optimum
(D) The dual problem to P is unbounded

N
YEAR 2001

PA ONE MARK

Let S1 = "^x, y h d R2 : x2 + y2 # 1, and S2 = "^x, y h d R2 : y # x2, . Then

M
Q. 18
(A) S1 and S2 both are convex sets

O
(B) S1 is a convex set but S2 is not a convex set

C
(C) S2 is a convex set but S1 is not a convex set

&
(D) Neither S1 nor S2 is a convex set

IA
Q. 19 Let T be the matrix (occurring in a typical transportation problem) given by
J1 1 0 0N
K O

D
K0 0 1 1O

O
K1 0 1 0O
KK O
0 1 0 1O

N
L P
Then

©
(A) Rank T = 4 and T is unimodular
(B) Rank T = 4 and T is not unimodular
(C) Rank T = 3 and T is unimodular
(D) Rank T = 3 and T is not unimodular

Q. 20 Consider the primal problem (LP)

max 4x2 + 3x2
subject to x1 + x 2 # 8
2x1 + x2 # 10
x1 $ 0, x2 $ 10
(A) (LP) and (LD) both are infeasible
(B) (LP) and (LD) both are feasible
(C) (LP) is feasible but (LD) is infeasible
(D) (LP) is infeasible but (LD) is feasible
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

YEAR 2001 TWO MARKS

Q. 21 Let Z * denote the optimal value of LPP

max Z = 4x1 + 6x2 + 2x 3
such that
3x1 + 2x2 + x 3 = 12
x1 $ 0 , x 2 $ 0 , x 3 $ 0 .
Then
(A) 10 # Z * # 20 (B) 20 < Z * # 30
(C) 30 < Z * # 40 (D) Z * > 40

Y
YEAR 2000 TWO MARKS

N
Q. 22 The objective function of the dual problem for the following primal linear

PA
programming problem :
Maximize f = 2x1 + x2
Subject to x1 − 2x2 $ 2 ,

M
x1 + 2x2 = 8 ,

O
x1 − x2 # 11

C
with x1 $ 0 and x2 unrestricted in sign, is given by
(A) Minimize z = 2y1 − 8y2 + 11y 3 (B) Minimize z = 2y1 + 8y2 + 11y 3

&
(C) Minimize z = 2y1 − 8y2 − 11y 3 (D) Minimize z = 2y1 + 8y2 − 11y 3

YEAR 1999
IA TWO MARKS

Q. 23
D
Consider the following primal problem :

O
Minimize z = 10x1 + x2 + 5x 3

N
subject to 5x1 − 7x2 + 3x 3 $ 50
x1, x2, x 3 $ 0

©
the optimal value of the primal is
(A) 50 (B) 10
3 3
(C) 250 (D) 100
3 3

Q. 24 Consider the linear programming problem :

maximize z = 2x1 − 4x2
subject to x1 + 2x2 # 3 ,
3x1 + 4x2 # 5 ,
x1, x2 $ 0 .
The total number of basic solution is
(A) 6 (B) 2
(C) 4 (D) Infinity

YEAR 1998 ONE MARK

Q. 25 The linear programming problem Max. ^− 3x1 + x2h subject to the constraints
2x1 + x2 # 4 , − x1 + x2 # 1, x1 + x2 $ 1, − 3x1 + x2 $ − 3 , where x1, x2 $ 0 has
(A) Unique of optimal solution
(B) Alternative optimal solution
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

(C) Constraints leading to an infeasible region

(D) Cosntraints leading to an unbounded region

YEAR 1997 TWO MARKS

Q. 26 A degenerate basic feasible solution of the convex region formed by the following
closed half spaces in R2 :
x1 + 3x2 # 12
x1 + x 2 # 6
2x1 − x2 # 6
0 # x1 # 4 , x2 $ 0 is
(A) ^3, 0h (B) ^0, 4h
(C) ^4, 2h (D) ^3, 3h

Y
N
YEAR 1996 TWO MARKS

A
Q. 27 Consider the following LPP:

P
Max z = x1
x1 + x 2 # 1

M
subject to
x1 − x 2 $ 1

O
− 2x1 + x2 $ 1

C
x1 $ 1
and x2 $ 1

&
the solution to its dual is
(A) unbounded (B) infeasible

IA
(C) degenerate (D) bounded

D
O
N
**********

©
GATE SOLVED PAPER - MA LINEAR PROGRAMMING

ANSWER KEY
LINEAR PROGRAMMING
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(C) (D) (A) (C) (A) (A) (D) (B) (B) (B)
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
(A) (B) (A) (C) (C) (D) (C) (C) (C) (B)
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
(B) (D) (C) (D) (A) (B) (B)

Y
N
PA
M
O
C
&
IA
D
O
N
©